Promise
by Lost Skies
Summary: Everything is in its rightful place, as it should be. Go Mi Nam has finally taken his rightful place in ANJELL while his sister has returned to her nunnery. However, after his increased succession, a terrible accident occurs and his sister finds herself disguised as Go Mi Nam for a second time. This time, will she be able to protect both the famous ANJELL and Hwang Tae Kyung?
1. Dreams

**A/N: Second fanfiction. This is my first time writing a "You're Beautiful" fanfiction, so hopefully the characters are portrayed correctly. I'm not sure if this is very popular, but regardless, if anyone who reads this enjoys it, that will be good enough for me. Feedback is appreciated, so enjoy reading!**

 **I've also had unbelievable difficulty with inserting the band's name. So I lower-cased it all and left it without periods.**

* * *

It seemed as though everything was going smoothly for Anjell. Last time she saw them was at the concert, and then at the dorms where she gave her final farewells before travelling to Africa. However, while things were going wonderful for Go Mi Nyu, it seemed her brother had it going differently. Since her departure from the famous group, Go Mi Nam's fame began to increase rapidly, and in result, so did Anjell. However, if there was something that the two of them had in common undoubtedly, it would be that they were accident prone. As long as she could remember, Go Mi Nam was similar to his sister in that aspect, thus the reason for the scar on his hand from the bike accident. But through the years, he seemed to handle it better than her, though Mi Nyu wouldn't doubt that he suffered some accidents with the band, much like she had. It only occurred to her when she received an unsettling phone call in Africa from almost everyone at Anjell. As a practicing nun, she really didn't want to use her phone often, but she was able to use it occasionally to keep in touch with her long distance boyfriend, Hwang Tae Kyung. Like always, her phone was on silent as she catered to her duty as a nun, and only after the day was long over, she found herself startled at the amount of missed calls she received. Go Mi Nyu blinked several times in surprise as she scrolled through the list of missed calls; mostly from Hwang Tae Kyung, Jeremy, and Kang Shin Woo, and then a few from the stylist coordinator and Manager Ma. She was confused, but she decided to call back her boyfriend first, since he was the one with the most calls. She dialed his number and pressed the cellphone against her ear as she sat on her bed, rubbing her knee nervously. Finally she received an answer.

"Ah, Hyung-nim?" she asked, a little nervous. "I noticed you called quite a bit––"

" _Mi Nam_ ," murmured Tae Kyung from the other line. His voice held a tinge of dread, she noticed. And he even got so used to calling Mi Nyu by her brother's name that he would once in awhile say it. " _Did.. Did you receive the news?_ "

"News?" she repeated, blinking slowly as she thought about it. "No––I saw Jeremy and hyung-nim were trying to call me, though. I decided to return your call first, though!" she added quickly with a warm smile; one he would be unable to see, but it didn't falter once. "Ah, what news though?" she asked afterwards, not sure what exactly he was referring to. Had something happened?

It seemed as though Tae Kyung fell silent after realizing she didn't know. And maybe the long pause from him was his regret in calling first. Just as she was about to assure him it was okay, she heard his voice once more. " _Your brother.. He's in the hospital._ "

"Huh?"

At some point in time, Tae Kyung would have yelled at her for not listening closely the first time. But after their time spent together, he spoke to her more softly at times.

" _Go Mi Nam is in the hospital. He got into an accident."_

At this point in time, she found herself clutching onto her cellphone tightly, eyes staring blankly at the wall across from her. Her throat felt dry and suddenly it felt like the world was spinning. Then suddenly, tears sprung from her eyes and slowly slid down her cheeks as she held the phone to her ear, remaining utterly silent at the news. She didn't know what accident occurred, but he was her last family member; her twin, and she didn't want to lose him.

" _Go Mi Nyu?_ " repeated Tae Kyung through the phone. " _Are you there?_ "

There was a slight hint of concern in his voice. Probably because she wasn't answering, but for some reason, she couldn't find the energy to do anything, let alone say anything. Despite not being able to spend time with Go Mi Nam, he was still her brother who she would do anything for. And now he was in the hospital because of their accident prone similarity. She couldn't help but think up the worst things possible, and for a moment, a breath of words left her as she screwed her eyes shut.

"Mother superior.. Please help me.. Please.. Help him.. Please help us.."

* * *

After receiving the news, it didn't take long for Go Mi Nyu to arrive back in Korea to visit her brother at the hospital. According to Tae Kyung, her brother had been with Yoo He Yi. And while they were both at at the shopping center, she wasn't paying attention where she was going and was close to getting hit by a vehicle, but due to Go Mi Nam's selfless actions, he pushed her out of the way, only to get hit himself. She wasn't sure of the proximate injuries because after learning what had happened to her brother, she hung up on Tae Kyung and ignored everyone's calls for the time being. She _needed_ to see him up close and discover the injury on her own. But after arriving at the hospital, she was swarmed by many of Anjell's fans as they tried to get an autograph or a picture of famous Go Mi Nam's sister. Go Mi Nyu tried maneuvering through them and pushing through as gently as possible, but ended up falling back onto the ground from the amount of force the fans used in attempt to get her attention. Suddenly she felt a pair of arms wrap around her and lift her back up onto her feet.

"As clumsy as ever," murmured a voice in her ear as the same person took her arm to guide her through the mass of fans. She shamefully followed, keeping her head lowered until they entered the hospital. Upon entry, she glanced up and found herself staring into the eyes of Shin Woo, who offered her a small, warm smile.

"Hyung-nim," she began before she was cut off.

"It's a relief to see you're not crying," he told her as he went to ruffle her hair in a playful manner. "But you know, Mi Nyu.. If you need to let it out, you can."

"I know, hyung-nim," she murmured as she lowered her gaze from his. "I'll keep that in mind, though. Where is he..?"

With slight reluctance, he led her through the hospital to the room he brother was assigned. But instead of grabbing her arm, his own arm wrapped around her shoulders and he brought her close as he walked with her down to the the hospital room. When they were nearby his room, reporters jumped off their benches where they waited and started to ask her questions.

"Miss Go Mi Nyu, how does it feel to have your brother in the hospital?"

"What are you going to do now, Miss Mi Nyu?"

"Do you blame the National Fairy for this?!"

"Are you afraid he won't be able to continue his career?"

Go Mi Nyu averted her gaze from the reporters, and their constant questions about her brother's well being only caused her eyes to water. She tried to stay strong, she tried really hard not let anyone see her cry. But it seemed as though this is what the reporters would get. Just as she thought she would lose her composure, another voice chimed in.

"Go Mi Nyu!" And bumping into her by accident was Jeremy, who was smiling wide and helping Shin Woo push through the reporters, but also blocking the camera's direct view of her. "Excuse us! Miss Mi Nyu would like to see her brother now!"

 _Thank you, Jeremy, Shin Woo.._

After several minutes of trying to push through the mass of reporters, the three of them finally reached the hospital room, and Manager Ma snuck them in and slammed the doors shut before any reporter could sneak their way in. Jeremy exhaled heavily as turned to look at Mi Nyu, and smiled brightly at her.

"I'm glad to see you, Mi Nyu! If only these were better circumstances, though.." he mumbled.

Mi Nyu remained silent, as she could see her brother's silhouette against the curtain in front of his bed. She knew that's where he was, and if anything, she was afraid to see what she would discover. She couldn't do this alone. She was smart enough to know that she needed a shoulder to cry on, but she didn't want to burden Shin Woo any longer, who didn't like seeing her cry. And she didn't want to bother Jeremy with it either. But Tae Kyung would undoubtedly help her through these troubling moments. "Where's Tae Kyung?" she asked quietly.

Shin Woo exchanged a glance with Jeremy. "We don't.."

Suddenly the doors burst open and Tae Kyung came storming in, looking as angry as ever. Manager Ma scrambled off his seat and to the door so he could close the doors again. "Sheesh! You couldn't think about closing them, could you?"

Tae Kyung ignored him. Instead, he locked his gaze onto Mi Nyu as he approached her. Finally he stopped in front of her, and it seemed as though his eyes were glaring daggers at her.

"Hyung-nim," she began quietly.

"You couldn't wear a disguise? Do you know what kind of publicity you would gain if they caught you crying on camera? How much they could use this against you and against your brother?" Tae Kyung demanded in a harsh tone. Go Mi Nyu found herself tearing up again, even though she tried holding it in.

Shin Woo tried interrupting Tae Kyung from using such hard words on her. "Tae Kyung, that's enough––"

Tae Kyung didn't let his fellow band member finish. Instead, his arms went to wrap around her as he pulled her closely against his chest. "Why didn't you call me and tell me when to pick you up? You didn't have to be alone," he told her, still sounding a bit harsh. "And it's fine to cry––just this once, as Go Mi Nyu."

She swallowed thickly and nodded as she screwed her eyes shut. After several more seconds of his caring embrace, he released her, and glanced over to where Go Mi Nam currently was. He took her hand and led her over to the bed, and after seeing what was behind the curtain, she couldn't help but collapse onto her knees in sudden shock and fear. Her brother looked practically lifeless. His skin was pale and almost cold, though not exactly. And his eyes were closed. The second she fell to the ground, Tae Kyung had caught her in his arms, though she barely realized it. She didn't even notice the tears streaming down her face.

"Wh––what's wrong with him..?" she asked almost inaudibly.

Shin Woo answered for her. "The Doctor says he's in a coma.."

"A coma..?" she whispered.

"Yes.. When he shoved Yoo He Yi out of the way, he was hit by the car, and when he fell, he hit his head on the ground. We don't know the entire details, but this is what we _do_ know," said Shin Woo.

"How long?" She needed answers.

"We're not sure," Jeremy responded this time. "Doctor said it could last from weeks, to years."

"Weeks to years.." she repeated quietly. Her body felt weak. "Do you mind.. if I have a few moments alone?" She didn't bother looking at them, nor did she even want to. Without hearing a response, she listened to everyone's footsteps as they left, including Managed Ma. Tae Kyung helped her into the seat beside her brother's bedside, and he was about to leave when she suddenly spoke up, her voice cracking slightly, "Hyung-nim.. Can you stay with me?"

This was probably a surprise to him, since he went silent momentarily. But then she found him sitting right beside her. It was comforting to have him next to her. He was always there when she started to cry, and he knew how to comfort her at times, despite often being harsh with her. But that was okay. For moments, she sat beside him with tears streaming down her cheeks, leaning against Tae Kyung who gladly offered his shoulder to cry on.

 _Mother superior.. Please help us through this._

Suddenly she took hold of her sibling's hand; the one with the scar on it. She couldn't help but tear up more. If it weren't for the fact that they were accident prone, everything would be alright. He wouldn't have to be in a coma and she wouldn't be crying. But instead, she squeezed her siblings hand, as if he were actually awake. She could almost imagine him smiling at her like the times he reassured her. A shaky exhale left her lips, and she continued to hold onto his hand, until Manager Ma entered the room again.

"Go Mi Nyu.. I know now isn't the time, but––"

Tae Kyung stood up and shot a glare at Manager Ma, who cowered behind the curtain. "Now isn't the time. Come again at a later date."

"No, it's okay, Hyung-nim," murmured Mi Nyu as she cleared her throat and wiped the tears away from her eyes with her available hand. "What.. What is it?"

There was hesitance with Manager Ma, but he spoke again, nervously. "You see.. Since we don't know how long he's going to be in the hospital, Go Mi Nam might end up losing his position in Anjell," began Manager Ma.

"What..?" whispered Mi Nyu as she glanced over at the manager with wide eyes in disbelief. "Why?"

"Because.. Long story short, he won't be active for who knows how long, and President Ahn, as well as the rest of A. can't afford this publicity––your brother will not receive any respect whatsoever and uh, the situation isn't easy.."

"You're not showing respect, and you're really pushing my buttons," began Tae Kyung before Mi Nyu took hold of his hand and squeezed it to prevent him from saying anything harsh towards the manager.

"So.. Are you saying because he saved a life, he's going to lose his dreams?" she asked quietly.

"Not exactly.. That's why I came to you, sister." Manager Ma stepped around the frightening Tae Kyung and knelt in front of her, hands folded as if he were ready to plead. "Please, sister.. Become Go Mi Nam once more. Until he wakes up."

"You.." growled Tae Kyung as he spun around to glare at the manager. "Mi Nyu doesn't have to agree to this."

"Yes," she replied suddenly. "I will."

This surprised Tae Kyung, and she found him staring at her blankly. "What..?"

"I will become Go Mi Nam once more," she repeated plainly. "I don't want my brother to lose his dreams because of this.." Despite often rejecting such an offer, to see her brother in such a sad state, she couldn't deny it this time. She had an opportunity to keep his dream going, even if she couldn't continue hers. She wasn't going to let him wake from the coma, only without a career that he would talk about happily.

"O––Oh.. That's.. That's wonderful!" Manager Ma jumped up and clapped his hands together in joy. "Go Mi Nyu, thank you––thank you sister for agreeing. I.. I have to tell the others!" He raced out of the room to find the remainder of A. . While the manager was happy, Tae Kyung was not. He turned to her with his usual glaring expression.

"Why did you agree?"

"He's my brother," she responded earnestly. "I can't let him lose his dreams.. I'm his identical twin, and we sound exactly alike. If I can do this for him, again, then I will, for as long as he needs me to.."

"But what about your dreams?" demanded Tae Kyung. "Don't be selfless. He will wake up.."

"The Doctor doesn't know when he will. My dreams are his dreams in the end," she replied with confidence. "And when he wakes up.. He doesn't need to lose anything. So please, Hyung-nim.. Help me accomplish this."

"Aish.." Tae Kyung exhaled heavily before reluctantly agreeing. "Fine. But this is the last time I'm helping you out with anything."

That earned a very small smile from Go Mi Nyu. Regardless of him claiming it was the last time, she knew he would always help her out. But she wouldn't deny that she was grateful. "Thank you.." She shifted her gaze back to her sibling, squeezing his hand once more.

 _Mother superior.. Please help me accomplish my brother's dreams along the way._

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 **A/N: If you notice something strange, like "A." anywhere in the story, that is my mistake that I tried fixing. It supposed to be "Anjell". Hope you enjoyed.**


	2. Promises

**A/N: Chapter Two! Hopefully the characters are in character and not OOC; forgive me if so, though, and don't hesitate in helping me correct them.**

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She dropped her luggage onto the floor once she entered the dorm the members of Anjell. shared. It felt...nostalgic to return so suddenly. Go Mi Nyu––now, once more Go Mi Nam––wouldn't deny that she missed this place. If anything, there were moments in Africa where she wanted to so desperately return and be with the boys she found herself attached to. But she had to learn to cope being without them, even though she had already grown used to their silliness and lifestyle. It would be a lie to say that she didn't miss singing, too.

 _There was a lot I missed.._

Go Mi _Nam_ smiled faintly at the fond memories that ran through her mind. She began to stroll around the dorm the band members shared, going from room to room without any direction. Instead, she reminisced in the sweet memories she shared with the outgoing Jeremy, sweet Shin Woo, and even the grouchy Tae Kyung. A few memories that popped inside her mind caused Go Mi Nam to laugh a bit out loud without realizing it.

"What are you laughing at?"a voice from behind asked her.

As if caught from a heinous crime, she froze up, listening to the footsteps approach her from behind. After a few seconds, Go Mi Nam spun around to face the member who caught her reminiscing in the memories. A familiar man––one she grew to love so much, despite the hardships he put her through––stood before her, looking as serious as ever.

"Well?" Tae Kyung asked again, clearly not wanting to repeat himself.

She couldn't help but smile at him. Oh, how she missed this stubborn singer. She missed him and his gentle nature––

Without any warning, he flicked her forehead, now a little bit irritable. "What the heck are you smiling about? Do you find it funny that I'm asking you this question? Are you trying to make a joke out of me.." He scoffed, folding his arms while narrowing his eyes. "..What are you laughing at?"

Scrunching up her nose, Go Mi Nam quickly changed her mind. She didn't miss his not-so gentle nature. In fact, she preferred it when they were far from each other, and he was telling her how much he missed her over the phone. _He was a lot nicer then.._ She turned her head away and decided to respond before she frustrated him further by not replying. "I was just...remembering.."

" _Remembering_?" repeated Tae Kyung, raising an eyebrow at her blunt answer. "..Remembering what exactly? Nothing embarrassing I would hope.."

"Everything!" responded Go Mi nam right after. She turned away from Tae Kyung and without direction once more, acted as though the wind were leading her and drifted towards the kitchen. Once reaching the kitchen, she placed both her hands on the table they once shared breakfast, lunch and dinner at. "Like the times we ate here.. And especially the time you cooked food for Hee Yi, and did _terrible_ things to it, and then Jeremy had to eat it.." She laughed a bit quietly at the memory where all three men had been horrified when Hee Yi insisted that Go Mi Nam eat the meal first before Jeremy volunteered as a sacrifice. She then moved from the kitchen to the living room, brushing her fingers across the television in the room. "Or the time Jeremy showed me those videos of you.. And you ended up chasing him around here.." Go Mi Nam smiled sadly as she looked to Tae Kyung who had been following her around, listening to her reminisce with him. While he wasn't fond of those particular memories she spoke of, he still remained quiet as he listened to her before he approached her, remaining expressionless.

Finally, he parted his lips to speak. "Are those memories really something to be fond of?" he questioned, tilting his head to the side a bit.

"What do you mean..?" asked Go Mi Nam, a little confused by his question. "I don't get.."

"What I mean is this: Why are you wasting time reminiscing when there are.." Tae Kyung paused, clearing his throat as he glanced away awkwardly, "..more memories to create?"

Despite Tae Kyung's clear awkwardness from saying such cheesy things, the fact that he went ahead and said _those_ things caused her to smile wide. Once he focused his gaze back onto her, he noticed her smile and rubbed his neck irritably.

"If you're just going to smile at me like that, then forget what I said––" he began before being interrupted by her sudden action.

Go Mi Nam had lunged forward in that moment, wrapping her slender arms around Tae Kyung and smiling with her eyes closed shut as she rested her head against his chest. "Thank you, Hyung-nim.. You've made me happy by just saying those kinds of things. So thank you."

Tae Kyung shifted uneasily at first. After glancing around to make sure no one was coming to see, he returned the embrace by wrapping his arms––hesitantly––around her smaller figure and mumbling, "..It was nothing." Eventually, once a few minutes passed of their warm embrace, Go Mi Nam reluctantly pulled away, glancing up at Tae Kyung whose facial features had softened. Instead of looking irritable and awkward, he held a calm expression. The eyes that were once cold like _ice_ and sharp as _daggers_ were now soft and filled with warmth as he stared at her. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I am," she told him, nodding her head in response.

But Tae Kyung wasn't satisfied with such a simple answer. He stared down at her in disbelief. "You're going to be okay? With your brother in the hospital, trapped in a coma? That's really okay for you?" Go Mi Nam was taken aback by the sudden topic of her twin. "You're okay acting as someone you're not? Standing in someone's place you don't belong with a name that isn't even yours?"

"Hyung-nim.."

"You're not denying it. Are you telling me that you don't care about the fate of Anjell. ? That if we get caught, it's still going to be okay?" demanded Tae Kyung.

"That's––that's not what I meant," argued Go Mi Nam, her eyes beginning to water.

"Then what is it you exactly mean, Go Mi Nam? You're okay with the destruction of Anjell. and what we stand for?" demanded Tae Kyung once more.

"I––I mean that I.." She was speechless.

A few tears dripped down her cheeks. She had told herself that she wouldn't be emotional anymore; that she wouldn't cry like this in front of anyone and burden them. But even now, right at the start, she was already failing. She didn't know how to respond to those questions. She didn't know _how_ to feel. Ever since she left the hospital, she told herself everything would be okay. That her brother would wake up from his coma. That he would _survive_ and live out his dreams. But in truth, despite her hopes and prayers, her heart _ached_ ; a lot. In reality, Go Mi Nam was afraid to start all of this over, despite _longing_ to return to Tae Kyung's side. She was terrified that she would finally be found out and that the truth would be uncovered. She was worried that Tae Kyung, Jeremy, and Shin Woo would face the consequences of covering up lies that deceived their loyal fans and disgraced their band. Go Mi Nam didn't want to destroy everything they built up.

She went to wipe the tears off her face with the sleeve of her sweater, but Tae Kyung stopped her. Instead, he grabbed a hold of her hand and dragged her back into the kitchen before sitting her at the table. Just as she was about to object, he grabbed a box of tissues left on the table and placed it closer to him; pulling out a tissue before using it to wipe the tears that stained her cheeks. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, though she averted her gaze from the scene she just caused.

"Hyung-nim, I'm sorry––"

"Don't try and lie your way out of this situation," he said, cutting off her apology while he continued to _gently_ wipe away her tears.

She blinked at his words. "What.. do you mean?"

"You're clearly not okay, Go Mi Nam." Tae Kyung got up from his seat to throw away the tissues used before sitting back in front of her. "You were lying when you said you were okay. Had I not asked you those questions, you would have kept deceiving yourself. If you're not okay, then tell me. Don't hold in those emotions anymore." Before he could get embarrassed by the sweet talk, he cleared his throat. "Because if you happen to be at a fan-meeting or on live television, and you break down like you just did because you kept holding it in, then it's going to raise a lot of questions and unnecessary publicity. Understand?"

Go Mi Nam stared blankly at him before her lips curved back into a small smile. "I understand, hyung-nim." While he used the excuse of publicity, she really knew that he––the stubborn, short-tempered band leader, Tae Kyung–– _cared_ considerably about how she felt often. And truly, she was grateful that he went through such lengths to understand how she felt. "I promise, I'll let you know how I'm feeling from now on. Shall I write you letters at the end of the day and slip them under your door for when you wake up in the morning? That way you don't have to waste time asking me how I am––?"

He simply stared at her with expressionless features before exhaling heavily as he leaned back in his seat. "..You're really _something_."

But that didn't keep him from smiling a bit at her suggestion.

* * *

 **A/N: Your thoughts?**


	3. Troubles

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has continued reading this story! Like my other story, "A Yearning of the Heart," I'll be replying to reviews in the A/N.**

 **Onto reviews; Glad you thought it was cute! And yes, I thought he'd be nicer with interactions when she was far away and he was missing her. And I added those memories, particularly because they were some of my favorites. I especially liked the sacrifice Jeremy made for Go Mi Nam's taste buds. I personally think Tae Kyung wanted to make new memories so he wouldn't be humiliated anymore with the old ones, ha ha! ;) And I expect him to be new to this sort of "affection," since he's not fond of contact. But I also personally think he enjoys it with Mi Nam. ;) Also glad you liked the descriptions. Overall, I'm glad you enjoyed! And thanks! Probably the last time I'll update two in a night, ha ha (JHsgf82)!**

 **Onto business; I'm sorry for the late chapter, but it's here now! Longer than the previous one! But as my other story is ending, I'm getting a bit more eager to start this one, so hopefully you'll all enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it! Thank you for your patience!**

* * *

Go Mi Nam woke early, stretching her arms behind her head as she yawned quietly; a clear sign of her drowsiness. Still––and despite the very comfortable bed––she shifted upwards into a sitting position, not bothering to open her eyes just yet. If anything, she wanted to sleep a little bit longer due to her difficult time falling asleep the previous night. After her long and emotional discussion with her boyfriend, grouchy Tae Kyung, she found herself still thinking about her hospitalized brother. Thinking about him nonstop made it difficult to sleep, and Go Mi Nam even found herself feeling guilty, though she couldn't put her finger on exactly why. She didn't do anything wrong––as far as she was aware––and she definitely didn't wish such a catastrophe upon her brother. But she did wish to return to Anjell sometimes.

 _So this is where my guilt stemmed from…_

The only way she could reunite with the group she came to love was only seemingly possible if she had no choice but to return. And the only way she would return to them was if her twin had trouble. This time, his career was in very serious and deep trouble. Go Mi Nam found herself guilty for wishing such a terrible thing, and now everyone was suffering because of her. This is exactly why she couldn't sleep until very late the previous night.

"I really messed up, didn't I..?" she mumbled to herself drowsily, eyes still closed. A light exhale fell past her lips and she found herself feeling under the weather.

" _If you're not okay, then tell me. Don't hold in these emotions anymore."_

"That's right," she murmured. "I promised Tae Kyung that I wouldn't hold in my emotions and that I would tell him when something was wrong."

Now, she opened her eyes with a new resolve. She would make these miserable feelings disappear. With this newfound determination, she stumbled out of her bed and onto her feet, making her way towards the small table. She grabbed for sheets of paper and a pen before falling directly onto her knees in front of the table out of both clumsiness and drowsiness. After stretching her young body once more to try and wake herself up, she went to work on the letter to Tae Kyung.

"How should I start this?" she asked herself quietly, as if waiting for someone to answer. In the silence, she remained seated, staring blankly at the empty sheet of paper; still unsure on how or what to write. She bit her lower lip anxiously. Finally, she began to write down a few words on the paper. After doing so, she stopped to read aloud what was written. "Dear Hyung-nim…" she read directly off her paper. The sound of it didn't seem right. If anything, it sounded far too formal. And it sounded dull. Nothing like Go Mi Nam. With a slight frown curving her lips, Go Mi Nam crumpled up the paper and threw it to the trash bin near the door, only to miss and fail at something as simple as that. Next, she wrote another introduction, only to read it aloud once more. "Greetings, Hyung-nim," her voice trailed off, cringing visibly at the way those words rolled off her tongue. "Not that one either."

Similarly, like the last one, she balled up the piece of paper and threw it to the trash bin; making it in by chance. Then she went back to writing her letter.

By the time half an hour passed, Go Mi Nam had written and trashed over a dozen letters, all of which barely started. And for the most part, she failed in tossing the balled up pieces of paper in the trash bin. She actually stopped counting by the fifth, trashed letter. Even now, she met with great difficulty in writing the letter. As she read through her current, barely started letter, she already found herself displeased and feeling awkward because of it. Nothing she wrote felt "right," and to her, it didn't feel quite _real_. She wanted to be genuine with her letter, but she couldn't find the right words.

"I can't do anything right!" she sighed to herself, crumbling up the sheet of paper and tossing it high into the air and over at the trash bin. However, at the same moment, the door to her room opened. She widened her eyes and watched dreadfully as the balled up piece of paper hit her guest in the chest before it tumbled to the floor.

"Shin Woo," she began nervously, but also apologetically for hitting him with the balled up paper. She bowed her head to express her sincerest apology.

"What are you doing…" his voice trailed off as he scanned her room, more particularly the floor of which was practically a sea of crumpled up balls of paper, surrounding the trash bin. "Are you trying out for a sports team? If so, it might be better to consider remaining in the music industry." Shin Woo then flashed her a sweet and teasing smile. "What's up with all this paper?"

"I'm trying to write a letter to Tae Kyung, but I'm having a terrible time starting it. Everything I write sounds wrong…" she responded with a small pout.

"I'm sure it can't be _that_ bad," began Shin Woo as he bent over to pick up one of the balled pieces of paper. After unfolding it, he then moved to read it aloud, "Salutations, Tae Kyung!" It was definitely cringe worthy, and Go Mi Nam could see it as Shin Woo's face scrunched up in a look of displeasure. "Salutations? This sounds like a word someone would use after finding it in the synonyms for greetings. But I'm sure you didn't…" his voice trailed off as he caught Go Mi Nam sliding her phone away from sight, smiling nervously at his comment. "...Forget what I said."

"Hyung-nim," mumbled Go Mi Nam as Shin Woo moved to sit beside her on the floor. "I can't think of any creative way to start this letter. Nothing sounds good or right."

"Well, that's because it's not _you_." He smiled over at her, tapping her forehead lightly. "Don't be someone you're not. You don't need any creative ways to start this letter because it's supposed to come from the heart, isn't it?"

 _That's right.. None of those letters sounded anything like me. They sounded forced, and different from me._

"You should start with imagining how you would greet Tae Kyung," Shin Woo spoke up again, turning to face her. "If I were writing this letter to you––and since I'm not particularly good at greetings myself––I'd start off with a 'how are you, Go Mi Nam'; it's all about how you can picture yourself speaking to him. So try imagining yourself speaking to him."

That's all she needed to hear before she knew what to do. She smiled brightly at her fellow band member and went to writing her letter. As she was writing, Shin Woo watched her with simple curiosity but remained silent.

Instead, he said something else. "Once you're done, let's go grab some breakfast. I think we should get to the food before Jeremy, unless you want to eat what he doesn't; which isn't much, I can assure you."

"Sounds great, hyung-nim!" Go Mi Nam agreed. After finishing her writing, she folded the paper into a rectangle and flashed Shin Woo a thumbs up to show she was done and pleased with it. "But I need to stop off at Tae Kyung's room first!"

"I'll escort you there first, then. Come on." Shin Woo was already getting up onto his feet when he offered his hand to Go Mi Nam. Once she grabbed onto his hand, and was pulled up however, her clumsiness led her to losing her balance and tumbling right into him, where Shin Woo caught her safely in an embrace. With her face pressed against his chest, she could practically hear his fast-beating heart. Clearing her throat, she quickly pulled back with a small smile on her lips, once again apologetic as usual.

"S-sorry, hyung-nim.. I'm.. very clumsy," she told him, stating the obvious.

"That's okay, Go Mi Nam. I've missed having to watch out for you," he responded warmly before gesturing to the door. "Shall we head out?"

"Yes!" chimed in Go Mi Nam eagerly. Not that it wasn't already obvious, but she was starting to feel her hunger. Once again the two started off, with Shin Woo leading her out her bedroom and past Tae Kyung's room, where she slid the folded piece of paper underneath the door frame where it would be when he woke up.

* * *

It wasn't a surprise that Tae Kyung woke up later than usual. He found a hard time falling asleep the previous night, which wasn't necessarily new. When Go Mi Nyu left the band, he often found himself having great difficulty with falling asleep that he wouldn't receive the amount of hours necessary to function. And due to his exhaustion, Manager Ma assigned him to a sleeping medication to help him fall asleep again. That was the type of information that shouldn't be spread around like a rumor. Tae Kyung didn't need that sort of unnecessary publicity, nor did Anjell. So it was kept between Manager Ma and the band members, though now that Go Mi Nyu was a member of the group again, she was unaware. He would eventually inform her.

 _Or maybe I don't need to.._

The only reason he needed sleep medication was because he couldn't help himself from thinking about many things. It usually ranged from his mother, to the past, to the future, to Go Mi Nyu. But with Go Mi Nyu back in their band, perhaps he would find it easier to sleep again. So maybe he didn't need to tell her about the sleep medication. She had enough on her plate, why did she need to know?

He finally forced himself out of bed, brushing his fingers through his tangled hair. With a suppressed yawn, he got up onto his feet; maintaining perfect balance as usual. Then he made his way to the bathroom to do whatever business he needed; such as take a shower. It was a relaxing shower, a long way too in fact. After his shower where he thought about pointless things, he exited his bathroom shirtless and with a towel around his neck; his hair still damp. It was only a matter of time before he finally stumbled upon the letter, now fully dressed but with still damp hair, seeing as he didn't bother to dry it fully. By now, his bed was prepared, and he was wide awake. He was about ready to meet everyone for breakfast when he noticed the letter by his feet. Confused, he bent over to pick up the folded piece of paper before opening it up to read it. By the handwriting, he could easily see that it was Go Mi Nam's. Settling down comfortably at his desk, he began to read the letter written by his...girlfriend.

" _Hiya, Tae Kyung! How are you this morning?_

 _Well, I wanted to thank you for last night. You took the time to help me fight my sadness, so I decided to help fight it by telling you how I feel from now on, just as I promised the other night. Remember the idea about leaving a letter every day to let you know how I feel? I'm going to go through with it, so expect something when you wake up!_

 _I'll start off with last night: I had some trouble sleeping, only because I was still thinking about my brother. And I woke up feeling under the weather this morning. But that's why I decided to go through with this! I really think talking about how I feel helps. I also had some trouble writing this letter to you. I ended up writing over a dozen uncompleted letters, all which sounded unlike me. When Shin Woo stopped by my room to check up on me, he helped me by telling me to just be myself, so that's what I'll also be doing in these letters._

 _I'm feeling a lot better now! Yes, I'm still sad over my brother, I don't think I'll ever be truly happy, but I won't be crying because I have Jeremy, Shin Woo, and you! And the rest of Anjell! I have many reasons to keep smiling, and I definitely have motivation to do what my brother loves! So thank you again, Tae Kyung! Please continue helping me through these hardships, and I'll do the same for you._

 _Sincerely, Go Mi Nam_

 _P.S: I'll be waiting for you at breakfast!"_

Tae Kyung blinked after finishing the letter. He cleared his throat after reading it and folded the letter back up; leaving it on his desk in plain view. After a few seconds of silence, he rubbed the side of his neck.

"I didn't think you were serious about this," he mumbled quietly. But regardless, he was smiling a little bit at the words written in the letter. They were definitely from Go Mi Nam, and he had to say, he did miss her enthusiasm and eagerness. He especially missed seeing her for dbreakfast every morning. Finally, Tae Kyung got up from his seat at his desk and left his room, with the letter still resting on his desk. He made his way towards the kitchen, where he found Jeremy, Shin Woo, Manager Ma, and Go Mi Nam; all seated at the table together. Jeremy was busy messing around with Go Mi Nam though, going on about all their past adventures while she was in Africa. And he was definitely getting her to laugh once in awhile. Manager Ma was busy stuffing his face and listening to Jeremy's stories, as if he hadn't been there to witness them himself. And Shin Woo was beside Jeremy, smiling as he also listened, though humiliation could be seen in his facial expression once in awhile. That's when Jeremy noticed Tae Kyung's presence.

"Tae Kyung!" greeted Jeremy eagerly, waving his hand at Tae Kyung and also gesturing him to take a seat.

Almost at the same time, Go Mi Nam turned around in her seat to glance Tae Kyung's way, meeting with his gaze immediately. And this caused her to smile brightly, as she also waved at him. Tae Kyung tried to suppress his smile, but that didn't work. Instead, he was smiling a bit more than usual as he came to take a seat, shoving Jeremy out of his seat in the process so he could claim his spot beside the woman he loved.

* * *

 **A/N: Your thoughts?**


	4. Annoyances

**A/N: Chapter Four is now released!**

 **Onto reviews: No worries, I'm just grateful for your effort! Glad you enjoyed it! And I think we've all been in the same position, unsure of what to write without sounding strange. I know it's definitely relatable for me. I know I'm not very good at writing letters either, ha ha! And yes, I had to give Shin Woo some jokes. The sleeping medication.. This was somewhat of a risk to take, since I wasn't sure of the responses to it. Why I included it.. I'll leave it up to my readers to imagine! I figured stress is a main factor behind Tae Kyung being unable to sleep, since he seemed to be surrounded by it for some time. While some of these stressful things were in the past, I imagine they keep coming to mind when he's alone or trying to sleep. And the last part I enjoyed imagining ha ha! Thanks for your review (JHsgf82)!**

 **Onto business: I thank those who are being patient with me! This chapter has been half-written for about a week now, but I didn't get to finish it until now since one of my other stories had a long chapter (it's ending), and that put a halt to other updates. But other than that, I hope it was enjoyable, and don't worry.. There WILL be some things coming up very soon. But thanks again! I appreciate feedback and I also enjoy listening to your thoughts! But most of all, enjoy!**

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"Tae Kyung!" whined Jeremy as he fell off the couch and onto the floor. "Why are you being this way?"

"Because one, you ate almost everything. Even leaders need to eat, aish!" Tae Kyung responded out of frustration. He closed his eyes momentarily, feeling the exhaustion flow over him. "And secondly, I couldn't sleep last night because your noisy snoring kept me awake...so I deserve a spot on the couch."

It wasn't all honesty. Most of it was actually a not-so well thought out lie. But it was the best excuse Tae Kyung could think of on the spot––all to be beside Go Mi Nam without having to openly admit that he wanted this particular spot. If anything, it would only humiliate him far too much. And along with that humiliation, Tae Kyung would also be teased relentlessly by his fellow band members. Plus, now that Go Mi Nyu––his girlfriend––became Go Mi Nam, Tae Kyung had to be extra careful. If he was with her, and allowed anything to slip to the public––even those they're familiar with––then it would only mean trouble for Anjell. And trouble was _not_ needed. Anjell did their best to avoid drama at all costs, though there were several incidents where drama had unfortunately included them.

Tae Kyung opened his eyes in time to see everyone's reactions. Jeremy opened his mouth in both surprise and slight horror at the 'truth.' "I snore?!" Shin Woo looked confused as he glanced over at Go Mi Nam and exchanged a curious glance with her. But she simply shrugged her shoulders with an equally confused look on her features.

"Yes," Tae Kyung responded simply, not feeling the slightest bit guilty for what he said.

Shin Woo was the first one to say something about his obviously suspicious excuse. "But there was another spot on this couch for you, Tae Kyung.." His calm gaze shifted over to the empty spot on the end of the couch.

Jeremy nodded his head rapidly, as if he just realized it himself. "Yeah! Yah! Why did you push me off for, Tae Kyung?!" Jeremy pointed a finger accusingly at the band leader. "There was enough room for you––why did the spot matter?"

Both Jeremy and Shin Woo looked to Tae Kyung curiously. Tae Kyung shifted uncomfortably under their gazes, shooting them both a glare as he scoffed. "I don't need to explain myself to you.." Just as he turned his gaze away from them and over to Go Mi Nam right beside him, he noticed that she was also staring curiously at him. "You too?!"

Before anyone could persist that he answer, another voice––along with the sound of footsteps––interrupted them. "Isn't it obvious? Tae Kyung wanted to sit with Go Mi Nam and get closer to him."

They all recognized _that_ voice. Each member all turned their heads to President Ahn who stood beside Manager Ma. He had a grin planted firmly across his features. Tae Kyung tensed up a bit, and so did Go Mi Nam.

"President Ahn, what brings you here?" asked Tae Kyung as he shot a glare to Manager Ma, who smiled fearfully and flinched under his cold gaze.

President Ahn––who rarely visited the dorms unless necessary––blinked slowly. "I came to check up on our star idol, Go Mi Nam. I wasn't able to visit him in the hospital due to business. I have to say, I was worried we would be ruined. I mean–– _hit by a car_? I'm surprised you're okay––I was expecting there to be some injuries since reports have made it out that way.."

 _Damn, that's right.. Go Mi Nam wouldn't leave unscathed._

Go Mi Nam looked as stuck as Tae Kyung, since she just stared blankly at President Ahn. Out of nowhere, Shin Woo spoke up, "Well, there wasn't any serious injury and he has an amazing and talented stylist. Manager Ma makes a good team with her."

"You mean.. _she_ concealed all of it up with make-up?" repeated President Ahn, surprised to discover this. "It looks _too_ good––but that's great! Good job." He patted Manager Ma on the back, congratulating him on such a feat. "The fans of Anjell will be relieved to see their precious Go Mi Nam without a scratch. Everyone was worried, even I was.. But that is all in the past, isn't that right Go Mi Nam?"

Go Mi Nam didn't respond. All three of the band members––including Manager Ma and President Ahn––stared at her intently, though she just stared back, blinking a bit as she didn't seem to understand why all eyes were on her now.

 _Did she forget the part she's supposed to play already?_

When seconds passed with no reply from her yet, Tae Kyung elbowed her lightly as if to hint at the fact a question had been asked of her.

"O-oh, ah, y–yes!" she replied immediately. "Sorry, I was just...thinking about my worried fans.."

"Are you sure you're okay? Do you need to return to the hospital?" began President Ahn before Go Mi Nam interrupted him.

"N–no!" she blurted out. Afterwards, she smiled forcibly. "I'm positive I'm okay! Really.. I don't want to let Anjell down, so please.."

This seemed to be enough to convince President Ahn, seeing as he nodded his head. "Fine, but…" He raised and pointed his index finger at her, "If anything at all is wrong, or if I see you acting suspicious, I will send you back there for a check-up. If you're unwell, you will _only_ let Anjell down." Tae Kyung clenched his jaw, not very pleased to hear those words directed towards _his_ girlfriend. Had it not been for the fact that her identity needed to be keep a secret, he would have spoke up against President Ahn's words. But he remained silent and simply watched as Go Mi Nam nodded her head like an _obedient_ puppy. "But I trust in you, Go Mi Nam. Maybe one day you'll replace Tae Kyung as leader of the group," he added jokingly, though he was the only one with a grin on his face. Tae Kyung remained irritable as always. He was never completely comfortable or very trusting towards others. If anything, he was only particularly close to Go Mi Nyu. Jeremy and Shin Woo were the two other exceptions.

"M––me?" repeated Go Mi Nam with a surprised expression and widened eyes as she pointed at herself as if to clarify. "R-really..?"

"It's possible," responded President Ahn with a grin, "Are you interested Go Mi Nam in becoming the leader of your own band? Maybe this one?"

She didn't respond. Tae Kyung was about to take that as a shy "no," except when he glanced over at her, it was as if she were really considering it. He blinked and flicked the side of her head irritably. "No, you don't. Not this band. If you want a deal like that, leave this one and go find another band."

Go Mi Nam rubbed the side of her head as she pouted a bit. "I wasn't really going to consider taking your spot, Hyung-nim.."

"Good to know that I won't need to talk some sense into you," he mumbled, turning his gaze away from her and placing it back on President Ahn and Manager Ma who was laughing silently. "Is that all?"

"Not yet. I have one more proposition. The National Fairy has requested a meeting with you." President Ahn pointed a finger at Go Mi Nam. "Since you saved her life, she said that she needs to thank you properly."

"Thank me?" Go Mi Nam blinked.

Tae Kyung was already getting uncomfortable with the idea of Go Mi Nam meeting with _her_. "Tell her to forget it. It's not worth our time."

"This is a request for _Go Mi Nam_ , not you, Tae Kyung. You don't need to worry about meeting with her yourself," President Ahn focused on Go Mi Nam once more. "What do you think?"

To Tae Kyung's satisfaction, Go Mi Nam began to shake her head in response. "A thank you isn't necessary.. I did what any person would do."

"It just isn't about a 'thanks.' This could get publicity–– _good publicity_ ––for you and for Anjell. You've refused the reporters, the least you could do is just meet with her and receive a thanks for what you did. It'll be like almost winning an award. Besides, if I do refuse the _National Fairy's_ request, Anjell will be no better than the average group of jerks, flipping off the world sweetheart," said President Ahn, with Manager Ma giving a small nod in agreement.

"You heard him––" began Tae Kyung before Go Mi Nam interrupted him.

"I'll do it," Go Mi Nam finally agreed.

Tae Kyung simply blinked as President Ahn grinned and Manager Ma gave her a thumbs up. "I'll let her know then, and we'll take you right on over soon, yes?"

"Y–yeah," agreed Go Mi Nam as she nodded her head. "Can Tae Kyung, Jeremy and Shin Woo come with, too?"

"If they wish to, then sure thing," responded President Ahn, eyeing the three members who shifted once more uncomfortably at the idea of associating with her. "I understand that Tae Kyung and He-Yi had problems with their relationship, but that doesn't mean you can avoid her forever. You three know well enough that you have to associate yourselves with her in the world of popularity."

"It's bad enough we have to see her because of him," muttered Tae Kyung, folding his arms across his chest. It wasn't because he was once in a relationship with her––that was all _fake_ ––but rather because Go Mi Nyu was once blackmailed by her. Tae Kyung would never forgive anyone who tried to harm her. And the last person who needed to discover this was He-Yi, who would clearly be unhappy with this whole situation again. However, Go Mi Nam––Go Mi Nyu's brother––had a crush on He-Yi, which was the reason she was normally invited to whatever they attended. He-Yi had been closely linked to Anjell as of late, and Tae Kyung wasn't about to let that continue. "But I'll attend _only_ to make sure Go Mi Nam doesn't screw anything up."

Despite his words, Go Mi Nam understood them well and grinned brightly. "Thank you, hyung-nim!"

Shin Woo nodded his head in agreement. "We'll be sure he doesn't go off risking his life again."

"It'll be fun to take a ride together again!" Jeremy chimed in.

"Good choice. After this, you all can choose to associate yourselves with her or not. This is just to help with Anjell's reputation. As you all know, we're cutting close with another band," said President Ahn, pointing a finger at each and every one of them. "This publicity will help us. So until then."

Without a goodbye, but instead a wave, President Ahn left, with Manager Ma following directly behind seeing as he didn't want to deal with Tae Kyung's irritation and frustration. Once they were gone, everyone fell silent; particularly Go Mi Nam and Tae Kyung who didn't even dare to look at each other. Shin Woo shifted in his seat on the couch, and he refused to look at either of them, but rather Jeremy instead who was glancing at Go Mi Nam and Tae Kyung.

"..You have to put up a real act, you realize this?" Tae Kyung finally uttered.

"I know, hyung-nim," responded Go Mi Nam.

"If she finds out who you are, this will be the end of Anjell. Her blackmailing will be the reason behind Anjell's fall. Her story behind our break-up was enough to damage our reputation." Tae Kyung exhaled heavily, placing two fingers against his temple. "I have a headache thinking about that.." He bit back the words he wanted to say, the insults he wanted to give her. Instead, he shook his head.

"She won't have to worry. It's just a thank you, isn't it? We'll say we're busy, so she can't keep Go Mi Nam long enough to discover anything," Shin Woo added. "Don't worry," he told her gently, smiling faintly. "We'll be with you to make sure nothing goes wrong."

"Yeah!" Jeremy gave her a double thumbs up. "You can count on us, Go Mi Nam!"

She smiled at their efforts. "Thank you all. I won't let you down."

"Can you guarantee that?" Tae Kyung scoffed jokingly.

Jeremy's eyes suddenly lit up. "Let's make a promise then, Go Mi Nam! That way it's something you have to keep, no matter what!"

"What?" Tae Kyung waved his hand in dismissal. "You're not serious, right.."

"Why not?" Shin Woo voiced himself, "A promise is something that cannot be broken.. If you're so worried, Tae Kyung, you shouldn't be against it."

Irritation was laced in his voice as he spoke, " _Fine_."

Jeremy held out his hand towards his fellow band members. He urged Shin Woo to do the same, and upon agreement, Shin Woo placed his hand atop Jeremy's. "Tae Kyung, c'mon!" The band leader rolled his eyes before uncrossing his arms and leaning forward to place his hand atop Shin Woo's, even though he despised so much touching. And lastly, Go Mi Nam enthusiastically placed her hand right on top of Tae Kyung's without persuasion. Tae Kyung exchanged a brief glance with Go Mi Nam once their hands touched, and he easily saw her flustered expression. Seeing her in such a state caused his irritation to diminish a little bit. He was _almost_ tempted to grin. "Go Mi Nam; do you promise to do whatever it takes to protect Anjell?"

"Whatever it takes?" repeated Go Mi Nam, blinking slowly. "Even if it's something terrible..?"

"Whatever it takes. It doesn't matter what!" responded Jeremy, eyeing her now as he tried to put on a serious facade. "So.. do you promise?"

Now all eyes were on her, to see what choice she would make. After a few seconds of biting her lip anxiously, she nodded her head with confidence. "I do promise to do whatever it takes to protect Anjell!"

"Good! Now on the count of three, we all yell 'for Anjell,' okay?" Jeremy told his team Once they were all in agreement, some more reluctant than others, Jeremy started the countdown. "Three.. Two.. One.."

And all at once, they threw their hands up into the air, shouting in confidence the same thing:

"For Anjell!"

Afterwards, they all bursted out into some type of laughter. Shin Woo was laughing silently, while Jeremy bursted out into pure laughter; rolling onto his back with closed eyes and a grin. As Tae Kyung grinned a bit to himself, he turned to glance over at the laughing Go Mi Nam, whose eyes were bright with joy as she watched her friends. And strangely, despite his frustrations and irritation from earlier, and despite the promise they just made, he could only just watch and think how _beautiful_ she was when she was happy like this.

* * *

 **A/N: Your thoughts?**


	5. The Beginning of a New Life (Part I)

**A/N: Chapter Five is out! Thanks for being patient with me.**

 **Onto reviews: Glad you thought everyone was in character! It was fun having the characters mess with Tae Kyung for a bit ;) But it's good that you also enjoyed President Ahn's appearance in the story! And yes, leave it to Shin Woo to cover Go Mi Nam. Sweet of him, and I think we all know why he still treats her this way. Maybe? ;) As for what's coming up with the National Fairy.. You'll just have to see. Knowing her, anything she could do or say could harm the band one way or another. I'll say this though: what happens with He-Yi (not in this chapter, but the next) will become somewhat important to the story. That's if I keep the idea. As for the lengths Go Mi Nam will go through.. You'll just have to see how far she'll go! ;) Thanks for reviewing!**

 **Onto business; this chapter turned out to be longer than I expected, so I broke it up into two parts so I can try to stay consistent with length. I'm currently working on the second part, which should be updated by either this week soon, or next week. Enjoy Part 1!**

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"Are you ready, Go Mi Nam?" Jeremy pressed. Sitting together on the couch, with a laptop on his lap, Jeremy peered over at Go Mi Nam who sat beside him. According to Jeremy earlier, he was going to introduce his fellow band member to something called _fanfiction_ ; a set of fictional stories––based on real life people, tv programs, movies, almost _anything_ ––that were published online for the enjoyment of others. Due to the practice of nunnery, Go Mi Nam wasn't particularly knowledgeable of what Jeremy spoke about. In fact, she knew absolutely nothing about this so-called _fanfiction_. After hearing that Go Mi Nam knew nothing about their––Anjell's––world, he decided to 'enlighten' her on this fanfiction and the importance behind it.

"Ready?" she repeated slowly, blinking. A small smile was given to her friend. "I think so.. It doesn't sound bad at all."

"That's because it's not. But I shall warn you ahead of time.." Jeremy pointed a single finger at her. "You may not be ready for the content of these stories. They're not for the innocent."

She puffed out her cheeks, raising an eyebrow. "Innocent?" she breathed out. "I'm not––"

"You are too innocent!" responded Jeremy, shifting his position so he was now turned towards her fully with his laptop on his lap. "Did you forget about this morning?"

"This morning.." Her voice trailed off as she tried to recall that early morning. Suddenly her brown eyes widened in remembrance and she clasped her hands over her mouth as she screamed silently into them; her eyes tightly screwed shut.

" _Hyung-nim!" Go Mi Nam called as she entered her boyfriend's bedroom. From outside his dorm room, she heard Tae Kyung's constant, annoyed yells along with Jeremy's pleads. It was unclear at first, but the one thing she did hear that was very clear was the sudden 'aish' from the angry Tae Kyung_ –– _or so she assumed. She closed the door gently, being as quiet as possible. For once, the clumsy and loud Go Mi Nam was very quiet. Too bad Tae Kyung was riled up; had he been calm, she could have snuck up on him with the silence she managed. Despite Tae Kyung's angered shouts, Go Mi Nam's curiosity took control of her movements and decisions. It was clear that her tiny and soft voice was no match for Tae Kyung's powerful one and Jeremy's loud one. It was no wonder none of them heard her call out. Go Mi Nam blinked and searched the room for Jeremy and Tae Kyung who were nowhere in plain sight._

" _Aish! I said to let go, on the count of three_ ––" _Tae Kyung shouted. Go Mi Nam's eyes darted over to Tae Kyung's bathroom, where his muffled voice came from. Still by the door, she slowly peered over to the bathroom where Jeremy's muffled pleas followed._

" _Come on! Pleaseee?" begged Jeremy._

 _There was a short silence. "..Did you ignore my words? I'm not going..!"_

 _There was a sudden crash, which startled Go Mi Nam to where she jumped a bit. Now she was growing a tad bit worried for her fellow team members. She could only wonder what Jeremy got himself into, since everyone knew that Tae Kyung was not a negotiable man. After all, Go Mi Nam had attempted to negotiate with him on several occasions, though it was not always successful. He was a stubborn man as she was a clumsy girl. Once again, Go Mi Nam's curiosity took control, and she found herself slowly inching closer to the bathroom door, ready to open the door_ –– _while also mentally preparing for Tae Kyung to lash out. She_ –– _after all_ –– _figured that Tae Kyung and Jeremy were simply arguing in the bathroom. Perhaps Jeremy had snuck in to scare their fellow band member; Go Mi Nam knew very well how he grew to enjoy pranking others after seeing some videos online. So she couldn't possibly prepare herself for what was about to happen next. Just as she neared closer to the door, she pressed herself against the wall when the door suddenly burst open. By her current expression_ –– _wide eyes, slightly agape mouth, body pressed firmly against the safety of the wall_ –– _Go Mi Nam was clearly surprised. Out tumbled Jeremy with Tae Kyung at the doorway, brows narrowed and frown visible. His hair was still wet and messy, as if he had just gotten out of the shower. Droplets of water dripped down his face, which Go Mi Nam found herself captivated by his beauty_ –– _as she thought it. For a few seconds, her gaze was locked onto him and nothing else._

" _I said no," mumbled Tae Kyung, who had not yet taken notice of Go Mi Nam or recognized her presence._

" _Owww," whined Jeremy as he rubbed the back of his head. He forced himself up into a sitting position on his knees. "That hurt.." He shifted his gaze to Go Mi Nam, blinking slowly at first; almost in disbelief that she was there. Then he pointed a finger at her, while glancing rapidly back and forth between Go Mi Nam and Tae Kyung. "Wh_ – _what are you doing here?" he blurted out, still startled to see her there. Now that her presence was acknowledged by Jeremy, Tae Kyung's head snapped in her direction; eyes growing a bit wide, almost with anger, she assumed._

 _This snapped Go Mi Nam back to reality. She cleared her throat, glancing away to avoid Tae Kyung's angered gaze. "I, uh.." she began quietly, glancing down at surprised Jeremy and then back at Tae Kyung, though her gaze no longer met with his. Instead, she lowered her gaze slightly away from his face, only to suddenly realize that he was shirtless._

' _Wait a second..'_

 _She froze up a bit, as she lowered her gaze a bit more. Now her eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped open. Her hands clasped over her agape mouth and muffled the shrill scream that came from her next. Now she realized that it wasn't a look of anger, but an expression of utter horror as she was now standing in the room with her boyfriend, who was wearing absolutely nothing. Jeremy winced visibly at the high-pitched sound and Tae Kyung dashed back into the bathroom; slamming the door shut loudly._

" _Go Mi_ ––" _began Tae Kyung from the other side of the door, clearing his throat before speaking up once more. "Go Mi Nam, what are you.. doing here?"_

 _Go Mi Nam remained silent, with her hands still clasped over her mouth and eyes still wide with the utmost horror of what she just saw. Instead of replying, she stayed completely frozen in shock; still pressed against the wall, not moving a single bit._

" _Go Mi Nam?" Tae Kyung's muffled voice asked._

" _I think she's in shock, hyung," responded Jeremy as he got up from the floor and back onto his feet. He approached Go Mi Nam, poking her forehead lightly. "Go Mi Nam? Hellooo?"_

 _Suddenly, she shoved past Jeremy and sprinted out of the room; slamming the door shut. Despite being out of the room where she witnessed something so horrific, she still felt shameful. Now, despite Jeremy's calls, she ran down the hall and over into her room where she slammed the door once again_ –– _obnoxiously_ –– _and leapt onto the bed; burying her face deep into the soft fabric of her pillow where she, once more, screamed into the pillow._

"You locked yourself in your room for five hours, remember?" responded Jeremy as he blinked. "Did you forget already, Mi Nam? It took _forever_ to get you out of there!"

She didn't forget. Go Mi Nam just did her best to forget what happened. She was ashamed of what she saw. It felt as almost as if she committed an offense by seeing something so obscene. It wasn't like seeing David all bare. It was something she couldn't unsee, no matter how much she wished it. At least she could apologize and face David as he was––but a real person like her _boyfriend_ Tae Kyung was something entirely different. She was so embarrassed she wasn't sure she could face him again.

"Jeremy, let's not talk about this.. What was it you wanted to inform me about?" she mumbled quietly, trying to change the subject.

"Oh, yeah!" Jeremy turned the laptop screen towards her so she could see what he searched up in the browser. At the search bar were the following key words: Anjell fanfiction. And as far as she could see, there were quite a few search results for those two simple words.

"Wow," she whispered, scanning the words across the screen. "There's quite a bit.. Eh?" She blinked several times at the most 'popular' item––or so she assumed––at the very top of the results. It read 'You're Beautiful' with the words "Anjell fanfiction" right beside it. In the description, it read the following:

 **In the music industry, you're never free from the public and media. The only time you have any privacy is behind closed doors. Members of the famous boyband, Anjell, act all pure and innocent in front of their fans, but once they arrive safely home, a spark of love ignites between Go Mi Nam and Hwang Tae Kyung. Behind closed doors, we'll find out that Go Mi Nam and Hwang Tae Kyung are not your ordinary angels and that they share something beautiful when beside each other.**

"Is.. Is this about me and hyung-nim?" Go Mi Nam asked, still startled by the result. "What is this..?"

"It's romantic fiction that fans of ours write. Well.. some weird ones," Jeremy explained. "It's usually a love triangle between me, Shin Woo and Tae Kyung, but ever since you arrived, you're the number one hit with Tae Kyung. And not just him, there are some more with Shin Woo and with me. You wouldn't believe what kind of crazed fans we have out there that are ready to write whatever comes to mind!" he exclaimed. "Sometimes they're written well! And they can be interesting.. But other times, they're.." Jeremy shuddered at the thought he didn't dare to explain further. "Nevermind! Tae Kyung and Shin Woo would kill me if I said anything else."

"Why's that?" pressed Go Mi Nam curiously, tilting her head to the side.

"Let's just say there are some things that just...shouldn't be written or be read," responded Jeremy with an expression that told her 'don't ask.' He took the laptop back away from Go Mi Nam and closed the tab immediately. "Shin Woo and Tae Kyung don't appreciate these stories. And they definitely don't want me introducing you to these stories.. So let's keep it a secret between us!"

However, now Go Mi Nam was extremely curious. "But Jeremy," she whined. "I want to know more––"

More specifically, she wanted to see what that story was like. But Jeremy shook his head as he slammed his laptop shut with a stern look on his features. "Nope! I told Shin Woo I wouldn't show you any.. But maybe later," he added quietly as he set his laptop down. "There's not very many.. Some just write it for enjoyment, but I've also read the criticism on those stories. Overall, only few write these, so there's not _that_ many out there."

"Why's that?" she questioned once more.

Jeremy paused. "...I guess not many people support relationships within the band? I'm not sure. But I know _a lot_."

Suddenly a voice interrupted them. "Are you both ready?"

"Ready..?" Go Mi Nam repeated quietly, turning her attention to the band member who just entered the room: Shin Woo. "For what?"

Shin Woo stared at her in slight confusion, as if he didn't understand why she was asking him such a silly question. But then a warm smile formed on his lips. "Ah.. Did you forget? Today we're meeting with He-Yi, remember?"

Realization hit her as she recalled the talk with President Ahn. "Ah!" An embarrassed smile formed across her lips as she nodded her head. "Right.. She wants to thank…" Go Mi Nam swallowed thickly. "...me."

She was very close to saying 'my brother' when she realized that she had to get used to _being_ him. She wasn't allowed to be Go Mi Nyu anymore, for the sake of protecting the band. Those fanfictions written about Tae Kyung and 'her' were not about Go Mi Nyu and the leader of Anjell, but rather _Go Mi Nam_ ––her brother––and the leader of Anjell. It was never about _her_ and she had to learn that.

 _It's no longer Go Mi Nyu.. I need to lock that identity away until my brother returns to his rightful place again._

It was hard, but she would make sure she'd manage. She couldn't let herself slip up, ever. Shin Woo must have noticed her struggle, because he approached her with his gentle smile and ruffled her hair affectionately in an attempt to comfort her––which succeeded.

"You'll do fine. I believe in you," he told her. "Don't worry too much about it. We'll be there for you."

Glancing up at Shin Woo, she couldn't help but return the smile. "Thanks, hyung-nim. I'll do my very best!"

"Are you three done?" called Manager Ma as he entered the room, gesturing for them to get up. "We're leaving now."

"What about Tae Kyung?" asked Jeremy as he got up from the couch. "He's not here yet.."

"He's already in the car," Manager Ma responded. "Now come on! The National Fairy is expecting Go Mi Nam in a little bit. We can't keep her waiting.." Manager Ma appeared to be just as unprepared as the rest of the group. He-Yi was someone who tended to be unpredictable and _very_ demanding. So that they wouldn't have to deal with the National Fairy's wrath, Shin Woo helped Go Mi Nam up and strolled with her out the front doors with Jeremy tagging along behind.

* * *

 **A/N: I have no regrets with what I added in this chapter! I hope you all enjoyed!**


	6. The Beginning of a New Life (Part II)

**A/N: And here is chapter six, a few hours later!**

 **I finally completed Part 2 of the previous chapter, and this is it. It's long, but overall I hope it's not confusing. If there are any questions or feedback you wish to give, don't hesitate. I will answer all and any questions. Overall, I hope this chapter came out as clear.**

* * *

Tae Kyung entered the building just as he had been in the car; silent. Deathly silent. He wasn't interested in idle chit-chat in the ride there, no matter how much Jeremy prodded him. Go Mi Nam had been seated next to Jeremy in the car, behind Tae Kyung and Shin Woo. And she, too, had been oddly silent throughout the ride. Despite Jeremy's constant babbling and Shin Woo's short responses, it had been a rather _uncomfortable_ silence. Tae Kyung was––after all––used to Go Mi Nam's constant questions and curiosity. It undeniably startled him when she refused to utter a single word.

However, now that they were inside the large building, Tae Kyung could easily sense how tense Go Mi Nam had grown. He didn't blame her; if anything, anyone would be tense when going to meet with that damned excuse of Korea's sweetheart. As they strolled towards the designated room, Tae Kyung––along with every other member of the band, including Manager Ma––noticed the rather large amount of people in the building. As they got closer, Tae Kyung noticed that many were the young fans of Anjell.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, turning his attention away from the crowd. "She set us up."

"Set us up..?" repeated Go Mi Nam worriedly.

"Go Mi Nam, pay no mind to them," Shin Woo whispered, only loud enough for Anjell to hear. "Just keep walking."

Just then, loud screams echoed through the building as the fans recognized Anjell's appearance. Almost all of them rushed forward to surround their precious Anjell; almost making it impossible to make it to their destination. Manager Ma, along with several security guards had to block the fans from getting in the way of Anjell. Tae Kyung was already annoyed––not by the fans, but by the person who set all of this up. Just as they reached the room, some of He-Yi's own security guards, as Tae Kyung recognized them, had approached Anjell. Ever since the accident, He-Yi received extra security to protect her from any danger that now came to her. Many rumored the accident to be intentional and arranged. Once He-Yi's security guards approached Anjell, they separated Go Mi Nam from the rest of the band almost immediately.

"Go Mi Nam? If you will follow us please," spoke one of the guards.

Almost immediately Go Mi Nam took a step back, only to bump right into Shin Woo, who placed a hand on her shoulder to squeeze it reassuringly. "What..?" she asked, glancing over at her fellow band members. "What about everyone else..?"

"This is a private interview between you and He-Yi," responded the same security guard. He stepped aside while another opened the door. "If you will."

Tae Kyung clenched his jaw, his fingers balling up in frustration. "It's either all of us or––"

Suddenly, Go Mi Nam interrupted Tae Kyung. "..I'll go. You guys can wait out here, okay? I'll make this as quick as possible.."

He blinked at her interruption. But before he could argue further, she already began entering the room––alone––on her own free will. But once she was inside the room, and before the door was closed shut, Tae Kyung managed to catch a glimpse of inside the room. There were dozens of reporters, waiting, flashing their cameras at Go Mi Nam. And meanwhile, she stood at the doorway, looking almost _fragile._ She flashed him a somewhat worried smile though she tried to maintain a confident facade.

He didn't buy it.

Just then, the doors closed and Tae Kyung––as well as the rest of Anjell––was separated from Go Mi Nam. Meanwhile, the fans around them were screaming and cheering their names. Shin Woo exchanged a brief glance with Tae Kyung, and both of them were clearly worried for the woman they all cared about.

Manager Ma cleared his throat. "Well.. While we wait, let's head upstairs, shall we? To relax? This may be a while.."

Tae Kyung swallowed back the bitter words he wanted to so badly speak. "..Why not," he muttered under his breath as he followed his band up the stairs with fans trying to follow behind.

* * *

After entering the room _alone_ , Go Mi Nam was immediately seated at the white table beside He-Yi, who had waved and smiled at her. It was clear by the reporters who were seated in this room that it was more like an interview than anything else. Nervously, Go Mi Nam rubbed her sweaty palms onto the fabric of her jeans, smiling uneasily at the crowd around her who snapped photos.

"Go Mi Nam," greeted He-Yi with a warm smile. It looked genuine; that she was truly a sweet person. But Go Mi Nam sadly knew that it was fake; all of it. Everything was an act just to make her look good. Go Mi Nam almost regretted accepting the request.

 _Don't think like that.. You're doing this for Anjell. You owe this to them._

"He-Yi," responded Go Mi Nam, dipping her own head in greeting. "You look well."

"I could say the same thing about you." She closed her eyelids as she smiled wide, turning her head to the cameras as they snapped photos of her beauty and kindness. "I was afraid to see how you were.. But you're looking wonderful!"

Go Mi Nam could clearly see that the reporters were devouring the words spewed from the star's lips; they wrote them down as quickly as they could. While she just wanted to finally leave and return to her friends, she knew she had to go through this. "It's all thanks to Anjell's stylist," responded Go Mi Nam, remembering the lie Shin Woo told. "Without our stylist, I wouldn't have been able to look like this for...you.."

Those words were hard to get out. If anything, Go Mi Nam didn't particularly want to speak to He-Yi. She thought it would be a simple thank you and then be over, but rather, it had to be done difficulty.

"What about your condition?" she asked, expressing her concern well for the cameras. A hand reached out to cup a hold of Go Mi Nam's chin, but Go Mi Nam immediately leaned away and brushed aside her hand that neared her face. This earned a startled reaction from the group of reporters. Even He-Yi was a bit shocked at the way Go Mi Nam treated her.

To cover up her actions, Go Mi Nam faked a visible wince. "Sorry, He-Yi.. My body still hurts…"

Luckily, that white lie made up for the action. He-Yi almost looked _really_ concerned, as if it were actually sincere. This surprised Go Mi Nam a bit. Instead of pressing further with questions, He-Yi cleared her throat and turned to face the reporters who were waiting for the truth of the whole incident.

"Will you tell us what happened?" called a voice.

He-Yi nodded her head and folded her hands on her lap. "..We will, to cover up any rumors that may have spread. As far as everyone now knows, Go Mi Nam and I went out for lunch one day.. It was a spectacular day with Anjell's Go Mi Nam. But as we crossed the street.." He-Yi's words trailed off and she fell silent. A bit confused by the abrupt stop, Go Mi Nam shifted her gaze over to He-Yi, only to realize that her eyes began to water. Tears dripped down her porcelain cheeks and her hand went to wipe away the tears. "I––I'm sorry, everyone.. I can't talk about it without getting choked up," she murmured quietly, continuing to wipe away the tears. "I just.. I can't bring myself to speak on this further. It makes me so sad to think that Go Mi Nam got hurt over someone like me.. Someone so great almost.." She clasped a hand over her mouth to muffle the sob that came next.

Go Mi Nam watched He-Yi with an expression mixed with both confusion and shock. She couldn't believe the words leaving He-Yi's mouth or the person she was acting as. It looked almost _real_. But if it wasn't, Go Mi Nam knew that He-Yi was a good actor. In the silence, where everyone could hear He-Yi's heartbroken and pained sobs, many of the reporters looked to Go Mi Nam, who also remained quiet; not bothering to comfort the woman Go Mi Nam was 'rumored' to be interested in.

Finally, one of the reporters spoke up. It was a female reporter, sitting up close to He-Yi and Go Mi Nam. "Are you not going to tell us the story yourself?" she challenged Go Mi Nam.

 _Oh no.. I don't know what happened.._

Go Mi Nam smiled uneasily, unsure of how to answer the question. After a few seconds, before anyone could question Go Mi Nam's silence, He-Yi spoke up with teary eyes. "Please.. It's been rough on the both of us.. I'm sure Go Mi Nam has no desire to speak about what happened as I do not. So please.."

This seemed to quiet down the crowd of reporters, yearning for the truth. He-Yi's acting did wonders since no one brought up another question about the incident. For once, Go Mi Nam was grateful that He-Yi was good at lying.

* * *

"Tae Kyung looks angry," Jeremy whispered.

"He's pissed off more than he is angry," Shin Woo simply responded, peering over at their leader.

To avoid being surrounded by fans constantly, Anjell was led to a separate room up the stairs for refreshments. But throughout the duration of their stay in the room, Tae Kyung remained seated in a seat far from his fellow band members. He remained utterly still with arms folded across his chest and sour facial features expressing his anger, as if he were frozen in time. He didn't want to talk nor did he want _any_ refreshments. He was still hung over the fact that He-Yi was alone in a room with his girlfriend. Manager Ma watched Tae Kyung from afar, and the band leader could easily tell how tense the Manager was.

"I hate when he gets like this," Manager Ma whispered over to Shin Woo and Jeremy, who sat at the refreshments table with cups of water. It only irked Tae Kyung further that Manager Ma thought Tae Kyung was deaf or that he couldn't hear anything being said. But despite his annoyances, he remained staring blankly––or rather, angrily as the others assumed––at the wall, waiting for the time to go by so he could go retrieve Go Mi Nam from the grasp of He-Yi. "Should we do something..?"

"He'll be fine," mumbled Shin Woo as he glanced over at Tae Kyung. "I'm sure he's just worried for Go Mi Nam. Meanwhile Shin Woo observed his friend, Jeremy began to mess with his cellphone. Manager Ma still watched Tae Kyung from a far distance to avoid any possible moments where he would lash out. "Tae Kyung looks angry, but.. I think that's just how he expresses his concern––"

Shin Woo was interrupted by Jeremy's sudden laughter. This also caught Tae Kyung's and Manager Ma's attention. Manager Ma was the first to ask him what was he laughing about. "What's going on..?"

Shin Woo peered over at Jeremy's cellphone. "He's watching another one of those prank videos. Careful Tae Kyung, I think he might be planning something," teased Shin Woo.

Tae Kyung ignored him and began to return his gaze to the wall; that was until Manager Ma also spoke about the pranksters Jeremy was watching on his phone. "Huh? Isn't that.. Monstar?"

"Monstar?" repeated Shin Woo curiously, raising an eyebrow. "I've heard of them before.."

"They're really funny!" Jeremy agreed.

Tae Kyung rolled his eyes at the conversation going on. "Monstar.. Remind me about who those idiots are again."

Manager Ma blinked before pointing a finger at Tae Kyung. "Call them idiots all you like.. They're your number one competitors remember? They're second place on the charts, right beneath your group, Anjell. And if you don't watch out, they'll easily surpass Anjell."

Shin Woo grew more serious as he sat up straight. "Is that so? I didn't think they were that great.."

"They are!" Manager Ma took out his own cellphone and began to search something up. "Had you guys been keeping up with the media and music industry, you'd know that Monstar aren't a bunch of amateurs. They know what they're doing." Jeremy set down his own cellphone to see what Manager Ma was going to show them. Tae Kyung forced himself up out of his seat and over to where the other three were sitting, peering at the screen of Manager Ma's phone as music began to play out. Once Tae Kyung reached them, he bent over a little bit to see the video Manager Ma decided to show them.

From what Tae Kyung saw on the small screen, the video involved a band performing at a concert. The band clearly consisted of four members who performed what seemed to be perfect choreography––not that Tae Kyung would openly admit it. Each of the four members had their own part to sing and perform. Throughout the video, the camera zoomed in on each member who performed their own individual part of the song, and when they all sang together, the camera zoomed out to capture all of the members performing. The video lasted a good two minutes before it was over.

"So?" mumbled Tae Kyung. "Why did you show us that video?"

Manager Ma slipped his phone into the pocket of his jacket. "To show you just how _good_ these guys are. They mean business!"

Shin Woo glanced away momentarily. "They were good. But I'm not worried. We remained at the top of the charts for so long."

"The music industry is changing," reminded Manager Ma. "You all may need to change up your styles to stay at the top because _Monstar_ is growing more popular."

"I don't see what's so great," muttered Tae Kyung. "You're exaggerating, stupid manager. There is nothing unique about that band––the only thing that they have that we don't is a rapper. And last time I checked, Anjell doesn't need a rapper for any reason."

"That's right," agreed Shin Woo with a nod. "Our style is different from that of other bands. We don't have the time to regroup a rapper, nor do we really need to."

"It's not just the rapper!" Manager Ma responded. "Bands nowadays are interacting with their fans more. They interact with all of the public. They have their own video blogs, record crazy crap they do, and show it the world. They expose themselves to the world constantly so that they stay connected." Jeremy had already stopped paying attention to the conversation. Instead, Jeremy went back to watching the prank videos on his phone. Suddenly Manager Ma yanked the phone from his hands and showed it to all three of Anjell's members. "Look here." Tae Kyung and Shin Woo both peered at the screen once more, watching as a dark-haired male pranked another male with blond hair; laughter bursting through the speakers of the phone. "See this––this is 'Monstar' making these videos and posting them to the public. This is the kind of stuff they do to keep in touch with their fans."

"Hey," murmured Shin Woo as he squinted his eyes, pointing his finger at the dark-haired prankster. "Isn't that Jin Woo?"

"Who?" repeated Tae Kyung, raising an eyebrow.

"Kang Jin Woo," repeated Shin Woo as he shifted his gaze from the video over to Tae Kyung. "I may not know a lot about 'Monstar' but I'm pretty sure that's the leader of the group. I saw rumors about him a while back. About how he wants to change up his band's style."

"Change it up?" repeated Jeremy. "How so?"

"I think he's looking to add a new member to the group, since Anjell has done that in the past. But this time, he was thinking about including a female singer in his group."

"I doubt that'll happen," mumbled Tae Kyung as he turned away from his fellow band members. "That will require a lot."

"It would," responded Shin Woo. "But we've managed it, haven't we?"

"Listen, I don't care about some second-rate band. We have something they don't," muttered Tae Kyung as he seated himself.

"Go Mi Nam?" asked Jeremy.

Tae Kyung scowled. "No, we have _talent_!"

* * *

Throughout the interview, many reporters were shouting questions about He-Yi, any upcoming Anjell songs or tours, even if He-Yi and Go Mi Nam were together; amongst other questions. However, only some questions were answered, mostly by He-Yi. None of the questions answered had to do with the involvement between He-Yi and Go Mi Nam. But when reporters tried to persist in uncovering the truth, He-Yi spoke up.

"All of that is private business," responded He-Yi to most of the questions asked; refusing to quench the reporter's thirst for information. She then turned to look at Go Mi Nam, offering a soft smile once more. "I originally hosted this event so I can apologize to you.. And thank you for what you've done. You saved my life, Go Mi Nam; I am truly in debt to you. So thank you for coming, and thank you for what you've done."

Suddenly, out of the blue, she leaned forward; about to place a brief kiss _on_ Go Mi Nam's lips. Immediately, Go Mi Nam stumbled out of her seat and backed away from He-Yi; eyes wide with surprise. It was a mistake to come to the interview.

"I––I, uh.." she began quietly, glancing over at the crowd of reporters standing up and moving closer to Go Mi Nam as they snapped photos of the scene that just happened.

"He brushed aside the National Fairy's kindness again!" shouted one reporter as they snapped photos of a startled Go Mi Nam.

"Does he not care about her feelings?"

"Why is famous Go Mi Nam unable to speak about himself?"

As more questions were demanded, Go Mi Nam was unable to fend for herself further. She screwed her eyes shut momentarily before she raced out of the interview room and into the main hall. But it seemed as though the barrage of people and questions weren't over. Now fans of Anjell ran down the stairs and over to Go Mi Nam, screaming in her ear, cheering for her––just crowding over her. The door to the interview room opened and reporters flooded out from the room into the hall along with the fans, still demanding and requesting.

 _I can't!_

She had been unprepared for what was going on. All she needed was to hear a 'thanks' but instead she was pulled into an interview and was asked questions about things she knew nothing about. She was attacked with questions by people who just wanted to catch her slip. And she did slip. Go Mi Nam failed to protect Anjell by being unable to complete something as simple as an interview. So that she wouldn't mess up further, she pushed past the crowd of people and raced out the large doors of the building with a crowd of people following her behind. Using what speed she had, Go Mi Nam raced down the street to get away from it all. She just needed to be away from those people. It was only now that she wished her friends were with her. Had they been there, things could have went more smoothly.

Go Mi Nam turned the corner and kept running down the street, only to glance over her shoulder once to check if she was being followed. To her misfortune, she was still being followed by the reporters trying to get answers. She shouldn't have taken a glance behind her because as soon as she turned her head to look back in front of her, her eyes widened in horror as she ran directly into another person who was also running in her direction. She collided with this man before they tumbled onto the ground. Dazed and with an aching head, Go Mi Nam shifted upwards, only to realize she was sitting on top of the fallen man. The cap he wore tumbled off and now she had a better look at him.

"Damn.." The male beneath her stirred slightly, sitting up while rubbing his forehead. "What the heck..?"

Just as Go Mi Nam began to get off the other male, the two were immediately surrounded by a crowd of reporters snapping pictures of the two. "I'm so sorry," she tried to tell him over the loud voices of the reporters. She helped him up, but as she took a look around, she realized there were twice as many reporters at before. This startled her, and she once more found herself trapped by reporters, alongside this stranger she collided into earlier. "Please, let us go––" she began, but was only interrupted by more questions.

"These people don't listen to pleas," the male told her, grabbing his cap off the ground and fitting it back on his head. "When they _crave_ something, they don't stop. On the count of three, we'll run," he whispered over to her.

"Run?" she repeated. "Run where.. Or how.."

The stranger took her hand into his. "Just follow me, and don't stop okay? We need to get as far away as we can."

She jumped a little at the sudden touch that didn't belong to her boyfriend, but she was willing to comply if it meant she'd escape. Go Mi Nam nodded her head. "Okay," she agreed.

"One, two.." The stranger squeezed her hand as if to indicate that it was time to run. "..Three!" Then suddenly, he shoved the reporters in his way aside and started to run through the crowd; bumping into them and causing them to stumble back. Directly behind him, Go Mi Nam ran, not bothering to glance over her shoulder this time as the crowd of reporters yelled and shouted. Instead, she kept up with the male at a fast pace, following his lead as he still kept a firm grasp on her hand.

Once they ran down the street and turned the corner, they found a nearby park where children were playing. The stranger glanced over his shoulder before back at the park.

"Come on!" he told her, running off into the playground once more with Go Mi Nam following closely behind. He took her behind a tree and pressed his back against the tree, slipping his arms around her and pulling her closely against him as if to hide from them. Startled, Go Mi Nam remained frozen as the stranger held her closely against him, breathing quietly so that they wouldn't be heard. After a few seconds of listening to reporters yell, she listened as their heavy footsteps headed down a different direction from the playground. After a few more seconds, the stranger peered out from behind the tree, only to finally release Go Mi Nam. "That was close.."

Now free from his grasp at least, Go Mi Nam stumbled away from him, panting heavily from all the running. She cleared her throat. "Thank you.." she told him, dipping her head. "I don't think I would have ever escaped them without your help.."

"It's no problem," he responded, removing his cap and sunglasses to get a better look at her. "I can see you don't have much experience with running from crazed reporters."

"I don't," she admitted quietly. "I'm used to being with my group.."

"Your group? Ah!" The stranger suddenly seemed to recognize her. "You're a part of Anjell, aren't you? I thought you were familiar." He grinned at her. "Go Mi Nam, am I right?"

"You are right. Who are you?" she asked.

"You have no idea who I am?" he asked her, a little bit in disbelief. But he brushed aside the question and simply smiled. "I guess you don't keep up with the world around you. My name is Jong Min. Seeing as you're unable to fight off reporters, you might as well tag along with me."

"To where..?" she asked, peering over at him.

"Back to my place. Then you can give your friends a call to pick you up. 'Kay?" he told her as he began walking.

"O–okay," she agreed reluctantly. But despite her hesitance to follow him back, she was relieved she could rely on someone. She couldn't wait to be back with her friends again, especially her boyfriend, Tae Kyung, who would always make her feel safe and calm.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you all enjoyed!**


	7. Encounters

Excited screams and shouts of all kinds echoed throughout the hall outside the room Anjell sat within. This disrupted Tae Kyung's silence. He was staring intently at the wall in front of him, but to hear loud annoyances outside the room only increased his irritation. However, that didn't keep him and the rest of his band from getting a little curious about the commotion outside. Without a second to hesitate, Tae Kyung forced himself out of his comfortable seat and onto his feet, heading over to the door to get a peek outside. Manager Ma, Jeremy, and Shin Woo followed right behind him, peering out the crack of the door Tae Kyung opened slightly. This didn't help his current irritation; to be crowded up so closely bothered him and Tae Kyung would have preferred some personal space, so he grunted and shot a glare over his shoulder at his fellow band members as if to send the hint about his discomfort. Instead of relieving him of this, they continued to try and peer out through the crack of the now open door. Rolling his eyes, for once, Tae Kyung allowed this invasion of personal space, though he would remind them about it later and reprimand them for it. Especially scaredy-cat Manager Ma.

Shifting his gaze back to look through the crack of the door, he heard Jeremy's curious mumble, "What's going on out there? Is someone famous here?"

"I don't think so.. He-Yi would never choose a busy day. You know how she prefers the attention," he muttered under his breath. "I wonder what's going on.. Perhaps the interview is over?" He raised a single eyebrow, exchanging a glance with Jeremy at the thought. "Should we check?"

"None of this feels right," Tae Kyung finally said aloud, opening the door all the way and strolling right on out without another word.

It was his own decision to approach the sudden commotion, because in his gut, he felt as though something went _terribly_ wrong. With He-Yi, there was never a good outcome. She _was_ the reason Anjell was forced under these same circumstances with Go Mi Nyu. Peering over the railing, Tae Kyung watched as the fans crowded against the entrance; screaming with delight and waving handmade signs around excitedly. By the interview room––where Go Mi Nam was supposed to be––He-Yi stood by the doorway with arms folded across her chest. Without a care, Tae Kyung rushed down the stairway, approaching He-Yi with a great amount of displeasure. It was the perfect opportunity to speak to her without grabbing immediate attention. Once he reached the last step, he made his way over to He-Yi, still going unnoticed by the distracted fans.

"What's up with all this commotion?" demanded Tae Kyung, shifting his dark gaze over to the crowd. "And where is Go Mi Nam? Is he still in the room?" Honestly, he was expecting her to say 'yes' in response to his question concerning his girlfriend.

"That.. that jerk! He ran off," she whispered angrily so that no one would hear. He-Yi shot a cold glare at Tae Kyung. "What is the matter with him? And who does he think he is, shoving me away and leaving the interview? "

" _What_?" Tae Kyung said abruptly, and accidentally, loudly.

This caught the fan's attention. All at once, they raced over to crowd around He-Yi and Tae Kyung, although by now, he was already pushing his way through the fans; being as polite as he could, even though he now had little patience. With concern for Go Mi Nam's current whereabouts, it was hard to stay completely calm; especially with screams and voices of all kinds ringing through his ears. As he reached the front doors of the building, Shin Woo, Jeremy, and Manager Ma had regrouped with the leader of Anjell; all currently aware of the situation.

"So Go Mi Nam has run off?" murmured Shin Woo, his concern visible on his features. "Where could he have gone..?"

"We have to find him, hyung!" chimed in Jeremy, worriedly as he rushed out the doors behind his fellow band members.

"Should we split up?" questioned Shin Woo as they stepped out onto the pavement. Due to the loud noises coming from inside the building––which followed them outside––Tae Kyung was unable to think clearly. Far too much was going on at the moment; especially since Go Mi Nam took off so suddenly for reasons he didn't know. After an agitated sigh, Tae Kyung pressed the palm of his hand against his forehead, closing his eyes momentarily so he could concentrate.

"Aish.. We'll get nowhere if we stick together," muttered Tae Kyung.

"But if we split up, then we might accidentally miss Go Mi Nam on our own!" objected Jeremy, cupping his own cheeks. "It's either we split up or we stick together.. Which is more effective, hyung?"

"..Let's split up." Tae Kyung raised a hand in the air and pointed in the direction he was going to explore. "I'll go this way. Whoever finds Go Mi Nam first, is to then give one of us a call." With a heavy exhale, Tae Kyung began walking away a few steps before Manager Ma suggested something _incredibly_ idiotic.

"And if Go Mi Nam is okay? What if he just needed a fresh of breath air?" The way Manager Ma asked sounded like he didn't truly believe in his own words. If anything, he was probably just as worried as the rest of them.

"Don't be ridiculous." Tae Kyung shot Manager Ma a brief glare. "Go Mi Nam is never okay when it comes to being forced to do things alone. After spending all this time with _him_ , don't you understand that? Can't you think just for a moment that Go Mi Nam frets over mistakes more easily because of _his_ position? So in response to your little questions–– _no_ , I know for a fact that Go Mi Nam is _not_ okay."

This seemed to be an answer that convinced them all, since it shut them all up. Without another word, Tae Kyung began heading down the sidewalk, glancing around the area cautiously to start his search for _her_. Perhaps Tae Kyung's words were harsh, but they were his sincerest beliefs. After spending so much time with Go Mi Nam, it was hard to believe that she would be okay after feeling as though she failed her friends. Simply put, Go Mi Nyu was the kind of person who put everyone else before herself. Who would be okay after sacrificing their own happiness?

* * *

"This is it. Welcome to our humble abode!" Jong Min exclaimed with arms spread out wide. He strolled on into his band's dorm building, one that Go Mi Nam didn't know, nor was familiar with. But she followed inside behind him hesitantly, nervous about entering another person's 'home.'

"It's very.. nice," she commented, being sincere with her compliment. Her eyes trailed around the living room, which was the room close to the entrance of the building. But by the looks of this one room, she already knew that Anjell's dorm was far different than this one. It was to her surprise to find this room painted a bright green, though she would admit that it was pleasant to look at. "So what group are you with?" she asked suddenly, feeling a little silly for being unable to recognize him.

"Can't you guess?" Jong Min spun around to face her, placing both his hands firmly on his waist. "Am I really that unrecognizable?"

Go Mi Nam offered him a slight smile to express her apologies. "I'm sorry.. I don't have any idea," she admitted, dipping her head to hide her sudden embarrassment. She was positive that if Tae Kyung, Jeremy or Shin Woo had been with her, then they would have been able to inform her about this curious 'Jong Min' who came to her sudden rescue.

 _I mean, how could I know him? I've been in Africa, working in a nunnery. I would be ashamed if I brought something as unholy as "this" there…_

Instead of showing any signs of disappointment, Jong Min simply sighed before he approached her. Then without informing her about what he was going to do, he grabbed a hold of her wrist and whisked her away into another room. This next room was painted another color: a bright shade of blue, like the color of the ocean. Another pretty color that Go Mi Nam thought was nice to look at; it was certainly better than staring at a wall painted with a dull color. But aside from the lovely color, Go Mi Nam also noticed that the room was filled with bean bags, a mini-refrigerator, a bookshelf filled top to bottom with books of different width, magazines; even several decorations such as plants adorning this particular room. If anything, to Go Mi Nam, it looked like a peaceful but also entertaining room to be in. She wouldn't mind staying in there for a bit. But before she could make a statement about the room, Jong Min dragged her to a wall with a hanging portrait of four people; males, particularly.

"This is my group," Jong Min told her, nodding up at the large, framed portrait.

As she lifted her gaze, she observed the portrait. Four males stood proudly, side-by-side, with their arms by their sides or draped around another's shoulder. It really gave off the impression that these four were very close. On the far right of the portrait stood a blond-haired male, dressed in a lavender button-up shirt and black trousers. He held up the peace sign in front of him, with a friendly grin planted on his features. Go Mi Nam recognized the idol beside him as Jong Min, who appeared to be the only one with light-brown hair. In the portrait, Jong Min was also grinning. But unlike the idol on the right, he was wearing beige shorts and a red shirt. Certainly not the oddest color, but not Go Mi Nam's favorite either. And his pose was also different, but much more simpler; his hands were concealed within the pockets of his shorts. Beside Jong Min stood another idol, but with what seemed to be dark hair––black, perhaps? From what Go Mi Nam noticed––with her observations––this idol seemed to be a lot more enthusiastic than the rest. Despite it just being an image, the smile on his lips...it just _felt_ genuinely friendly and welcoming.

 _Whoever took this picture, captured the emotions really good.._

Go Mi Nam shuddered slightly before continuing on with her observations. The same male she had been observing silently, more so than the previous two, wore a plain blue shirt; just like the color of the ocean and exactly the same as the room she was currently in. One of his arms was draped around Jong Min's neck, while his other elbow rested on the shoulder of the idol on the far left. That idol––the one on the far left––was the only one with abnormal hair color. His hair, unlike the other three, was orange. Blinking several times, Go Mi Nam found it odd, but she wasn't going to question it. _Yet_. Instead, she continued analyzing the last idol, who was smiling happily, despite having an elbow resting on his broad shoulders. And he, too, wore a different colored shirt. Instead of it being lavender, blue, or red, it was bright green; similar to the previous room they were in. However, that was besides the point. The background behind the four idols was painted white with a huge black star behind them; such simple colors, though she wondered why they chose such a dark color for the star. The star normally represented something bright, didn't it? Stars weren't supposed to be dark. Overall, despite not understanding the concept of the color scheme entirely, Go Mi Nam found it surprisingly comforting and refreshing, all at once. Beneath them, their title was painted in black ink and read _Monstar_ in bold letters, except that the letter 'a' was replaced with a star symbol. It was certainly creative to her.

"Monstar?" she murmured quietly, gazing appreciatively at the portrait a while longer before turning her attention to Jong Min. By surprise, she caught him staring longingly at the portrait himself, which caught her curiosity for a few seconds. "I'm sorry, I still don't recognize your band, but.. You really like them, don't you?" That much should have been obvious; Go Mi Nam also cared about a band that wasn't even hers.

"..Yeah, I do," he replied quietly before clearing his throat. He pointed at the idol on the far right in the portrait; the one that stood beside his own figure. "That is Dae Hwan, one of vocals, though he also excels in performing dances. You obviously already know me, so moving onto the next. Instead of pointing to the other idol standing beside his own figure in the portrait, Jong Min's index finger pointed over to the one on the far left. "And that Monstar's rapper, Seong Jae. Some people just call him Jae or J-Song. Jae is preferred, though. I'm surprised you haven't heard of him; he's certainly popular in the music industry. And lastly is Monstar's leader, Jin Woo.." Jong Min's finger shifted to point at the idol who Go Mi Nam thought to be sincerely friendly. "He's a lead vocalist." Jong Min dropped his hand back by his side as he turned his gaze back to Go Mi Nam.

"And what part do you play in this band?" she questioned, tilting her head to the side.

"Vocalist. I also write some of our songs," he responded with a proud grin. "But I am astonished that you don't know about Monstar––don't top idols like yourself keep updated?"

"A-ah, I uh.." She scratched the side of her neck nervously. "..I'm not normally updated. O-only because.." Her voice trailed off as she tried to think up an excuse, similarly to how Shin Woo could think up things without a problem. "..Because I'm still new to the idol lifestyle, you know?"

"I guess that's reasonable." Jong Min seemed to accept that terrible excuse. Either that, or he was letting her off the hook easily. "But keep up, or else you'll fall behind."

Before Go Mi Nam could reply to that suspicious comment, she heard the voices of other men within the dorm, along with the loud sounds of doors closing. She jumped slightly at the unnecessarily loud sound, which happened to startle her.

"Jong Minn!" called a voice, unfamiliar to her ears. "Jongie!"

And through the door came three men; all exactly identical to the ones in the portrait. The blond, Dae Hwan, was first to enter. Upon entering the room and spotting strange Go Mi Nam, Dae Hwan's eyes had widened in surprise and he took a few steps back, only to bump into the next idol that strolled on into the room. It was the orange-haired male, known as Seong Jae––Jae or J-Song, as Go Mi Nam remembered––who happened to enter the room at a bad time. He wore dark sunglasses, which made him all the more intimidating in person; not to mention there was no trace of a smile on his features.

Go Mi Nam swallowed thickly, feeling uneasy and nervous all at once. While these idols had looked friendly in their photo, they now seemed rather frightening and intimidating in person; kind of like Tae Kyung. And lastly, maneuvering past the two idols frozen in shock, came the dark-haired idol, known as Jin Woo.

"What is up with you guys?" murmured Jin Woo questionably, until his curious gaze rested on Go Mi Nam's figure.

In person, they were all much taller than Go Mi Nam in height comparison––except for Dae Hwan, who seemed to be her same height. However, this only increased her fear instead of help ease it. None of them looked friendly at all, and honestly, Go Mi Nam was a little afraid that they would accuse her of trespassing. And if she knew anything about Tae Kyung from the way he once treated her, then she knew surely they idols would be similar. She had expected a bunch of Jeremys or Shin Woos, but instead got what seemed to be a lot of Tae Kyungs, which was something no one wanted in their life.

"Jong Min, what is this person doing here?" Jin Woo questioned, shifting his gaze over to the idol beside Go Mi Nam. She almost thought he was about to scold Jong Min, when he did nothing but help her to safety from a barrage of reporters. Just as she found the courage to speak up about Jong Min's heroic actions, he already spoke up.

"You won't believe it!" Jong Min exclaimed, throwing his arms up into the air as if to emphasize the situation he was about to explain. "I going out shopping for our snacks, right? And suddenly, I'm ambushed by reporters who _followed_ me all the way to the market. Because of them, I dropped the bag of snacks––which, by the way Dae Hwan, had your sweet rolls. And while I was trying to escape those damn reporters and fans, I bumped into Go Mi Nam who was in the same situation as me. Can you believe it? Bumping into another star on the street!" Then his hand went to pat Go Mi Nam's shoulder. "But since he had trouble escaping, I decided to let him hide out here."

When Go Mi Nam thought he was about to be reprimanded for such a mistake, she looked to Jin Woo, who approached her with his same curiosity. With arms folded across his chest now as he observed her, he remained quiet for several seconds. Until suddenly when his gaze brightened a little bit and a smile curved his lips; one identical to the portrait. It was a friendly smile, that once again appeared very genuine. He extended out his hand to Go Mi Nam, as if he wanted to shake hands. When Go Mi Nam shook hands with him, however, she was pulled right into a brief hug, where Jin Woo proceeded to pat her on the back.

"Hey, hey! Go Mi Nam, my man!" Jin Woo exclaimed. "This is one of Monstar's greatest honors––ever since you came to the light within Anjell, well I just have to say, we've enjoyed your music."

"E-eh..? Excuse me?" Go Mi Nam blinked several times, shifting her gaze to Dae Hwan and Seong Jae, then back to Jin Woo. "My music?"

By now, Dae Hwan was slouching on one of the bean bags in the room––the purple one––and was acting rather quiet. But her attention shifted over to Seong Jae, who removed his sunglasses and offered her a small, welcoming grin.

"Don't pay any mind to Jin Woo's wording; he might be excellent at singing, but anything else, he's a complete mess. He's also very poor at wording certain things, like the statement he just said." Seong Jae approached Go Mi Nam, standing right beside Jin Woo, who was now looking as offended as one could be. Despite his complaints, Seong Jae continued on, "What Jin Woo means is that we've always enjoyed Anjell's music, but we've also grown to admire your talents in particular, Go Mi Nam."

This startled Go Mi Nam even more; leaving her somewhat wide-eyed. "My.. talents..?" It was as if she didn't understand, despite Seong Jae explaining it.

"Your voice," Jong Min interrupted, peering over at her with an innocent smile. "We admire your voice.. You're a talented vocalist. Aish.. we probably sound pretty weird now that I think about this discussion…"

"Weird? It's not weird at all!" Jin Woo argued, pouting a bit as he rubbed the side of his neck nervously. "..Are we being odd? We don't mean to make you uncomfortable, or anything.. And we do have normal conversations!"

"Ah, n-no, you're all fine!" Go Mi Nam tried to reassure them. She would admit that it was a peculiar discussion, but only because this was the first time she received praise from idols. She never really believed she had any significant talent––that was her brother who had any. She could sing, if that counted as much. "Thanks."

"You probably think Monstar is weird now.. Did we change your impression of us?" asked Jin Woo nervously, biting his bottom lip anxiously. "Did we scare you off?"

"Actually," Jong Min interrupted. "..This is his first time hearing about Monstar."

Seong Jae blinked his eyes once, clearly surprised. "What?"

"No way!" Jin Woo, once again, carried the expression of someone offended. "Seriously? You've never heard about us?"

"No," Go Mi Nam admitted for a second time. "I-I do now, though."

"So you've never heard our music?" pressed Jin Woo. When Go Mi Nam shook her head, Jin Woo reached forward and grabbed her wrist––similarly to how Jong Min did earlier––and began pulling her out this room. "I've got a lot to show you, then!" Being dragged away, Go Mi Nam couldn't help but smile at Jin Woo's enthusiasm. It was...refreshing, for once.


	8. Friendship and Concern (Part I)

**A/N: Chapter Eight is here!**

 **Onto reviews; Happy to know you enjoyed the chapter! Good to know everyone was in character, that's my biggest concern. But I'm really happy with Tae Kyung's portrayal as of late, so it relieves me to know everything was good with his character! And that is actually very funny! I think he would have meant it as that way as well, since he probably sees her getting herself into trouble all the time, like it follows her.. ;) Glad you thought it was sweet! Again, it's another relief to know that my descriptions went well; I worked more on those than anything else, I think! Ha ha, I think they were so appalled because they're second to Anjell, so it's just so hard to believe! As for how it will go between her and Monstar.. You'll just have to find out. You'll definitely find out more about them this chapter. But you'll learn more about them soon! Thanks again! I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter and the new characters introduced! And thanks for your review (JHsgf82)! Glad you think the characters are great and funny! I hope you'll come to enjoy them more, too (Guest)!**

 **Onto business: Sorry for the wait. This chapter is going to be split into 2 parts, since it became longer than expected! Overall, I hope you enjoy the next two chapters! Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think!**

* * *

"...And this one––this one right here is our first album!" exclaimed Jin Woo as he shoved another album into Go Mi Nam's hands. She had been pulled into the room, called the "Chamber of Memories" by the members of Monstar. According to Seong Jae, it was the only room in the dorm building that actually had a name of its own––that's how special this particular room was. Go Mi Nam appreciated the care they put into the room––especially with the naming of it––and she loved it _very_ much. However, while she happened to love it, she imagined Tae Kyung's reaction; there was no doubt he would have laughed it off and found it really silly. She knew that much.

The room––or rather, the Chamber of Memories––was a different color, like the other rooms. It was a shade of orange; bright and filled with warmth. It was a beautiful room, with more, smaller sized portraits of the group hung all around the room. This time, she had browsed through each of the photos briefly, also noting the shelves filled with albums, which easily caught her curiosity. And it had seemed that _this_ is what Jin Woo wanted to show her; the collection of mini albums and regular ones altogether.

Scanning over the album in her hands now, she gazed down curiously at the cover. It was, yet another, picture of the four boys. It was a black and white image, with their name in bold at the top. Underneath it, it read "First Mini Album: Promise." Go Mi Nam lifted her gaze from the beautiful album, smiling at Jin Woo. "It's in such great condition for something that is years old," she commented. "But it's really nice.. So this was the official start?"

"It's what made us big," responded Jin Woo with a wide grin. He took the album from her and placed it back on its rightful place on the shelf. "Promise.. It's a small word with big meaning, don't you think?"

"I––" Before Go Mi Nam could respond to his question, Seong Jae interrupted them.

"I think everyone can agree on that, Jin Woo." Seong Jae snorted as he glanced away momentarily. "Promises are what tear people apart, though.. It's a destructive word."

"It's not destructive!" objected Jin Woo, shooting a playful glare at his fellow band member. "I don't know what word you're thinking about, but––"

" _Promise_ ; that's the word I'm thinking about. Come on, I just mentioned it!" Seong Jae's lips curved into a teasing smirk.

Jin Woo puffed out his cheeks before shoving Seong Jae lightly. "Yah! What's the big idea? Are you trying to embarrass me? _Humiliate_ me? 'Cause it's not working, big guy! The only person who can _humiliate_ me is _me_!" With arms folded, Jin Woo turned his back on his friend, though focused his gaze back on Go Mi Nam. "Forget this jerk––he's trying to look cool in front of you by degrading me. He's done this in front of women all the time; I call that desperate! And if that isn't desperate, I don't know what the heck is––"

Seong Jae had been laughing out loud for a couple seconds, until Jin Woo brought up the last part concerning women and desperation. With his laughter dying out, a serious expression formed on Seong Jae's face and he turned to face Jin Woo; slapping his back harshly, which Go Mi Nam heard loud and clear. She winced at the sound, despite not being the one hit. " _What_? What was that about? Watch yourself, Kang Jin Woo!"

Wincing, Jin Woo spun around to face Seong Jae with a slightly pained expression. "Ow, ow––what's your problem? That _hurt_!"

Seong Jae just snorted, taking amusement out of the situation. "It's supposed to? Don't be stupid.."

"U-um," began Go Mi Nam, before they could get into another argument. "I think promises aren't destructive––I mean, they could be!" she began, glancing away from Seong Jae and over to Jin Woo. "But I also think promises bring people together, kind of.. They show that you're willing to put forth effort and that you care a lot." There was a sudden silence after she spoke those words, and she almost regretted saying them; thinking that she may have sounded a little ridiculous herself.

But Jin Woo seemed to believe otherwise. He laughed out loud and went to pat her on the back once. " _See_? Mi Nam, my boy, gets it! A promise shows a lot about a person and how much they care! Promises are terrific things and I don't care whatcha got to say about it, Seong Jae. Or should I call you 'Stupid Jae', _ha ha_!"

Seong Jae shot a brief glare at Jin Woo. "Yah, shut that mouth of yours.. But I suppose you have a point, Go Mi Nam.. I think I like y––"

Before Seong Jae could finish what he was about to say, Jin Woo stuck out his tongue at him. "Stupid Jae, _stupid Jae_ ," Jin Woo sung in repeat, as if to irritate his fellow member.

Clenching his jaw, Seong Jae seemed annoyed. Go Mi Nam noticed his fingers balling into fists. "..Jin Woo, I don't think.." she began, but was interrupted by Seong Jae's yell.

"You're a dolt, Kang Jin Woo!" shouted Seong Jae before he lunged forward at Jin Woo. "I'm going to hurt you so bad, you're going to regret it!"

Jin Woo instantly ran behind Go Mi Nam and began using her as a shield. "You wouldn't. You're too kind...and _stupid_!" taunted Jin Woo from behind the human shield, Go Mi Nam.

Seong Jae's glare sent in Go Mi Nam's direction terrified her. She held up her forearms to hide her face behind them. "L-leave me out of this! I don't want to be a part!" Luckily, she didn't have to be. Jin Woo ran out from behind her and made a dash for the door. Lowering her arms, she watched as Seong Jae raced after the band leader and tackled him onto the ground, where she heard Jin Woo's loud groan.

"You doofus! Get off! You're going to break my bones!" whined Jin Woo from underneath Seong Jae.

"Good!" he responded with a playful grin. "I'm going to break every bone in that _pathetic_ body of yours and make sure you stay far away from me!" Another whine erupted from Jin Woo.

Go Mi Nam watched as the two began to wrestle on the floor, only for a few seconds, though. After the few seconds, she searched the room for Jong Min. _He followed us in here, but he hasn't said a word.._ Finally she spotted Jong Min, who stood in front of a window in the room where sunlight seeped in. As she began to approach him, she noticed the frown that formed on his lips. He seemed to be in deep thought, as he gazed out the window. At last, she made her way right beside him, also staring out at the window, but glanced up at him momentarily. He didn't seem to notice her presence––or perhaps he did, but didn't acknowledge it. Either way, Go Mi Nam couldn't help but feel concerned for Jong Min, who looked very unhappy at the moment. The least she could do for someone who helped her was check up on him.

"Jong Min, are you okay..?" she asked quietly.

Finally, after a few seconds of silence, he turned his attention to her. He paused briefly, only to smile a little bit after. "I'm fine! Why do you ask?" He blinked slowly, curious at her sudden concern.

"You just looked a little...down," she admitted. "And you were here all alone, so I thought something was on your mind!"

He shook his head and gave her a thumbs up. "I'm completely fine; sorry to worry you, though. I was just thinking a lot, you know."

"Thinking a lot?" she repeated. It would be a lie to say that she wasn't interested in his thoughts. But she also didn't want to press further or force him to tell her.

"Yes, a lot."

There was another moment of silence, seeing as neither of them knew what to say next. Go Mi Nam spoke up a second time, glancing back out the window and taking in the beautiful day. "..I'm curious."

"Curious?"

"Yes."

"About what?"

She puffed out her cheeks and scratched the side of her neck. "About your first album.. It's called 'Promise' and Jin Woo talked about.."

Jong Min interrupted her, "He went on about the meaning of promises, right? He does it all the time. Trust me, Seong Jae, Dae Hwan and I are sick of it. He really loves that album; I actually think he prefers it over the others." Tapping his fingers on the windowsill, Jong Min glanced away from Go Mi Nam to look back out the window as well. "It was our first major successful album. It was called Promise because we all made a promise."

"Eh?" This caught her attention now. Her wide, curious eyes were focused back on him as she turned to face him. "What was the promise?"

"That we would always stick together, no matter what. No matter the obstacles or hardships we faced. No matter how angry we got with one another, or how many times we fought. Jin Woo lives to forgive." Jong Min offered her a small smile. "That is our promise to one another. It's also why that album has a place in our leader's heart. Silly, isn't it?"

"..Not at all." The thought itself was heartwarming. Go Mi Nam smiled a bit to herself at the sentimental thought as she turned around, watching as Jin Woo pinned Seong Jae to the ground.

"Ha, ha, _ha_! You're not only _stupid Jae_ , but you're also weak!" Jin Woo threw his arms in the air, shouting in triumph. "Aw yeah!" Before he could prevent it, though, Seong Jae flipped their positions quickly. This caught Jin Woo by surprise, seeing as his eyes widened in shock. And within seconds, Seong Jae straddled Jin Woo's waist and pinned his arms above his head. "H––hey!"

"Weak and stupid? Don't be ridiculous!" Seong Jae smirked as he stuck out his tongue at the band leader. "I'm the greatest. You're beneath me, Kang Jin Woo. You always will be." And to make it even more terrifying, Seong Jae laughed loudly; it was unpleasant to hear and Go Mi Nam thought it sounded similar to a villain's laugh in a movie.

"Should.. Should we do something?" asked Go Mi Nam as she peered over at Jong Min, who was also watching the two playfight.

"Not at all. They used to wrestle all the time. I'm actually surprised they started to do this again––it's been months." Jong Min flashed Go Mi Nam a smile. "I think it's because they both like you a lot."

It made her happy to hear that it was possible they both liked her. Go Mi Nam also liked Seong Jae and Jin Woo very much; they were pleasant and fun to be around, not to mention, they took the worries off her mind. She almost forgot that more than an hour ago she messed up on the interview. And while that thought remained at the back of her mind, stressing her out every time she remembered, she couldn't help but feel _safe_ _and relaxed_ in their presence.

"It would be nice to be able to spend time with you all again," she murmured quietly.

Jong Min simply responded, "You're a great person, Go Mi Nam. We would like to spend more time with you too. And we would also love to have someone like you in our band. You fit in perfectly."

* * *

 **A/N: Your thoughts?**


	9. Friendship and Concern (Part II)

**A/N: Chapter nine is here, which is also the second part to "Friendship and Concern!"**

 **I posted one after the other simply because it would make more sense than to read each one individually. They were split into two chapters because altogether, it would have been longer. Thanks for reading and enjoy!**

* * *

Tae Kyung brushed through a couple of fans who surrounded him in an attempt to get his autograph or attention. At the moment, he wasn't about to give into their demands; there were more important things at the moment. His main and biggest––as well as _only_ ––concern was about Go Mi Nam and her whereabouts, as well as her current condition. He knew more than anyone else how much she beat herself up for making mistakes. This mistake couldn't have been helped; she clearly wasn't prepared for an interview with the " _National Annoyance_ " and neither were they. No one could have been prepared for the torture He-Yi planned ahead of time. As he pushed through the crowd of fans, he tried scanning the surrounding area, though the fans made it impossible to focus properly.

 _Damn_! _How long have I been searching?_

As he managed to escape the crowd for a moment, he pulled out his phone to check the time. According to his "astounding" math skills––astounding being sarcastic––he was able to confirm that it had been close to an hour at least. He couldn't believe that she was gone–– _missing_ ––for that long. Where could she have possibly gone? Tae Kyung was too confused; he couldn't see where she could go at a time of distress. It only led him to believing he didn't know as much about her as he initially thought.

That he barely knew her.

That wasn't a good thought to have in mind.

Instead of focusing on the pessimistic thought, he felt his phone vibrate in his hand. Glancing over his shoulder, he noticed more fans trying to catch up to him. Quickly, he dashed further down the street to hide within a nearby cafe. Once he was safe from the crowd, he answered his phone, which vibrated several times. "Did you find Go Mi Nam?" His voice was hushed so he wouldn't grab anymore attention.

" _No_." Tae Kyung didn't bother to check the caller ID before answering, but he recognized the voice as Shin Woo's. " _I've met up with Jeremy, and there's no sign of her anywhere. I'm hoping she'll be back at the dorms._ "

"You're _hoping_?" repeated Tae Kyung with a scoff. "Hoping is not going to do a thing. Why are you hoping when it's pointless? And why doesn't she have a damn phone!" It was by mistake that he shouted those words, though the cafe visitors simply brushed him off and ignored him thankfully.

" _She does have a phone, but remember it received water damage when Jeremy dropped it in the toilet? He was messing around with her._ " responded Shin Woo.

"..No, actually. I don't remember," Tae Kyung responded, clenching his jaw momentarily. "Why didn't I know of this?"

" _I expected she would tell you_ ," Shin Woo said.

"Forget it! Now's not the time to discuss that.." muttered Tae Kyung as he leaned against the wall of the cafe. "So what? You're going to give up on the search?"

" _I never said that. I said we're going back to see if she went to the dorms. It might not be possible, but what if she does come by and no one's there?_ " Shin Woo continued calmly. " _You can keep looking. Jeremy and I will head back to wait for her.._ "

Tae Kyung didn't like that idea one bit. If anyone should have welcomed her arrival and waited for her at the dorm, it should be Tae Kyung; her _boyfriend_. "Forget it, you can keep looking. I'll go back by myself and wait for her."

" _Tae Kyung, you know her better than us. If anyone should be searching out there, it should be you._ "

" _Forget it_ , I said. I already made up my mind!" Tae Kyung responded irritably. _There's no way I'm letting you be there for her when it should be me._

Suddenly Jeremy's voice boomed in from the phone, " _Let's all wait for Go Mi Nam there! I'm sure she'll be happier knowing all three of us were waiting for her_."

"What kind of call is this? I was speaking to Shin Woo." Tae Kyung sighed irritably before he gave in. "Fine. We'll all wait for her there. It's better than wandering the streets; I wasn't able to focus because of the noise."

" _Great! We'll pick you up, hyung!_ " called Jeremy's voice again.

" _Yes_ ," continued Shin Woo's voice after Jeremy's. " _Where are you_?"

"I'm inside some...weird cafe," mumbled Tae Kyung as he peered out the window of the cafe. He noticed a park across the street. "I'll be at the park. Meet me there," Hanging up on the other two, he slid the phone back into his pocket before leaving the cafe to make his way across the street, over to the park.

* * *

"So.. Why do you call this room Chamber of Memories?" asked Go Mi Nam. By now, she was sitting on the floor in a circle with the members of Monstar. Dae Hwan eventually joined them, but remained quiet for the most part. Jong Min was seated on one side of her in the circle, speaking up for her whenever he could and helped her find answers she wanted.

Seong Jae spoke up first. "Because Jin Woo is sentimental about weird things. He's ridiculously weird in general, from what you've seen firsthand; is it really that much of a surprise?"

After saying those things, Jin Woo ended up flicking Seong Jae's forehead. "Ignore _stupid Jae_ ; he doesn't know _shit_. He's just full of it!"

Seong Jae looked ready to wrestle Jin Woo, but was stopped by Jong Min when he sprayed them with water. Ever since Jae and Jin Woo's first "wrestling match" Jong Min grabbed a spray bottle to punish them when they were getting back into it. Strangely enough, it stopped the two from fighting. Go Mi Nam assumed that was because it got annoying, getting sprayed with freezing cold water. Not to mention, Jin Woo also said that the last time they ignored Jong Min's warning, he dumped a cold bucket of water on the two of them during the night. That also turned out to be the first time they ignored Jong Min's warning. And according to Seong Jae, the punishment was recorded and posted online as a prank. It was clear neither of them wanted to face Jong Min's wrath.

"Mi Nam asked a question. Who's going to answer it for him?" said Jong Min, setting down the spray bottle.

As Seong Jae wiped the water from his face, Jin Woo responded, "What was the question?"

"Why do we call this room Chamber of Memories," repeated Jong Min.

"Ahh, right, right!" Jin Woo clapped his hands together once out of excitement. "I named it. But I named it this because it's like...our history!"

Go Mi Nam didn't understand, so she stared blankly at Jin Woo while nodding her head very slowly. "Again, he's vague and describes things poorly. What he means by history is Monstar's history together; all our albums represent our progress, from the very beginning, to where we are currently. It serves as a reminder of who we are, and who we've become," Seong Jae explained. "This room is filled with our memories.. Every song we've written, every album that was produced. Does that make sense?"

"Oh!" Go Mi Nam understood better now. She nodded her head rapidly. "That's why you called Jin Woo sentimental!"

"Exactly." Seong Jae flashed her a small smile. "It's very precious to us. A sacred place, you could say."

"Now who's being sentimental?" teased Jin Woo before getting smacked upside the head by Seong Jae.

"Sacred?" repeated Go Mi Nam, blinking slowly. She couldn't help but feel a tad bit happy to hear it was a special place; it made her feel honored above anything else. "I'm very glad you invited me here. I hope I didn't ruin its value.."

"You couldn't," responded Jong Min right after.

Jin Woo finished what Jong Min planned to say, "You couldn't because we like you very much, Mi Nam! You're like one of us!"

"And you're welcome in this room whenever you feel like it," added Seong Jae.

All three of them were smiling and grinning at her. They really made her feel welcome, more so than any other place had been. Returning the kind words with a small, warm smile of her own, she glanced away for a few seconds before realizing something.

"Ah!" She turned her head to Jong Min. "What time is it?"

Jong Min was caught off guard, but pulled out his phone to check. "It's four in the afternoon," he responded. "Why?"

"Hyung-nim," she whispered quietly. She could only imagine how worried everyone was. "I have to go!" Almost immediately, she forced herself up onto her feet and dusted her clothes off. "I'm sorry, but I have people waiting for me.."

"Don't worry about it, Mi Nam," responded Jin Woo. He stood up too, as well as the other members; including the quiet Dae Hwan. "I'm sorry for keeping you so long.. Will you be leaving now, then?"

"Yes!" Go Mi Nam nodded, a little sad to leave. She really enjoyed their company, more so than expected. "I don't want to worry my friends anymore. But thanks for welcoming me!" She bowed to them, respectfully, to express her sincere appreciation and gratitude. Afterwards, she rushed to the door, ready to leave this room and head into the living room, which was nearest to the exit, when she heard Jong Min's voice.

"We can give you a ride, Mi Nam," called Jong Min as he jogged up behind her, opening the door for her. "It'll be a lot quicker than walking there."

"I don't want to trouble you," she began, shifting her gaze from Jong Min over to Jin Woo, Seong Jae, and Dae Hwan.

"Pshh!" Jin Woo also jogged up to her, waving his hand in dismissal of her earlier statement. "It won't be trouble at all! I want to spend as much time as I can with you, Mi Namm!"

Seong Jae nodded his head. "I will accompany you as well. I think we all will."

"I won't." Caught by surprise, Go Mi Nam glanced over at Dae Hwan who finally spoke up. "I'll wait here."

"We'll trust the place to you then, Dae!" shouted Jin Woo as he waved at his fellow band member with a grin. Then he nudged Go Mi Nam to go out the door. "What're we waiting for? Let's goooo!" Jin Woo ran out the door, with Seong Jae following right behind.

Go Mi Nam couldn't help the laugh that came from her watching the duo. She smiled up at Jong Min. "Thanks for offering me a ride home."

"It's no problem, Mi Nam."

"I'll repay you somehow.. You've done a lot for me today. I don't know how I could repay the favor, though," she began uneasily. Go Mi Nam wasn't sure how she would be able to repay this debt; it seemed like there was nothing she could do..

"Why not let us come over to your place sometime," suggested Jong Min.

"Huh?" Her smile faded away at his suggestion. While she would have loved to agree to that, she wasn't sure how any of her fellow band members would react. If anything, it seemed like it would piss Tae Kyung off.

"It's only fair, right? That you got to explore ours." Before she could respond, Jong Min gestured for her to go on ahead. "Go on. Let's get you back in time."

"Yeah.." she responded, nodding her head before walking on out the door. But as she headed through the rooms, to the exit of their dorm, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty. She wanted to repay the favor for Jong Min, but she also didn't want to make any guarantees that would bother her friends.

 _Mother Superior.. What should I do?_

* * *

 **A/N: Your thoughts?**


	10. Collaborations

"You okay 'Mi Nam?" asked Jin Woo curiously. "You got this look on your face that says 'I want to die!'"

"Oi, shut your mouth. You're such a bother, Jin Woo," mumbled Seong Jae.

Seong Jae sat up front in the driver's seat, acting as the designated driver for the evening, while Jong Min sat in the passenger seat beside him. Go Mi Nam was currently seated in the backseat of the vehicle, right beside Jin Woo. who on occasion peered over at her curiously as if she were some kind of peculiar creature. Most of the time when she caught Jin Woo looking her way, she thought something was on her face. It was only after Seong Jae pointed out that Jin Woo was––in his exact words––an 'invader of space' that she realized it was nothing wrong with her. But she understood what Seong Jae meant when he labeled Jin Woo as someone who invaded the personal space of another. Strangely enough, though, it didn't make her uncomfortable at all. She thought it was a little cute that Jin Woo was a curious person.

"Jong Min, next time you sit back there with the idiot. Go Mi Nam is being pestered," mumbled Seong Jae, loud enough for all three of them to hear.

Suddenly, Go Mi Nam watched and flinched as Jin Woo gave a kick to the back of the driver's seat. A few seconds after, she heard Seong Jae grumble in what sounded like annoyance."Watch yourself.."

"What? Is that a threat of some kind?" pressed Jin Woo with a large grin on his features. He stuck out his tongue. "You can't do anything."

"Well, unlike idiotic people like you, I know I am responsible for all of you at the moment. Only an idiot endangers people by letting their anger get to them. You're that kind of idiot, Jin Woo. You really are. But don't worry.." Seong Jae flashed him a fake smile through the mirror so Jin Woo could see. "I'll make sure you'll get what's coming to you."

"Ya! Is that another threat? You dare to threaten me? I can kick you out of the band, ya know that right?" reminded Jin Woo, scoffing right afterwards.

"Actually, you can't; 'ya know that right'?" Seong Jae retorted before mocking his fellow band member.

Jong Min, who had been silent for most of the ride, turned in his seat to make eye contact with Go Mi Nam. A tiny smile formed on his lips. "Don't pay any mind to these two.. They're not normally _this_ crazy. I think they're just excited you're here with us." Jong Min then turned away and sat normally in his seat, continuing on, "I don't know if you've heard, but we're looking for another member. Well, actually...our manager is. There's a lot of competition in the music industry.."

Go Mi Nam's curiosity spiked up as Jong Min's voice trailed off. He almost sounded sad with his low tone of voice. A part of her wanted to ask the reason behind his sudden change in mood, but held back; simply because she knew it wasn't her place to be asking such personal questions. Still, as she glanced over at Jin Woo and Seong Jae––expecting them to be concerned at the least––Mi Nam realized that both appeared to be relaxed and without any concern whatsoever. She blinked slowly, eyeing Jin Woo who didn't seem to realize his fellow friend's sadness.

"..And that got our Jin Woo interested in the idea of another band member," Jong Min concluded, clearing his throat. "Except, this time he's looking for a female idol to invite."

"Really?" Go Mi Nam tilted her head as her eyes widened a little bit. "A female idol? Why's that?"

"Well.. Hmmmm, how can I put this simply?" mumbled Jin Woo as he peered out the window of the car. "I think it's just that I want to change our style.. Incorporate a new voice that will blend well and make it feel _natural_. But I also want a distinct voice that will grab the attention of not just our audience, but everyone else too.." After a few seconds, he glanced back over at Mi Nam and grinned wide. "A female voice, for example. Or an idol with a voice that can reach a different level than ours."

"Why do you think he admires your voice so much, Mi Nam?" questioned Jong Min. "Your voice.. It's a well known and distinct voice. Anjell has long since accomplished what we've been aiming for."

"I know right?! It's no wonder they're at the top.." whined Jin Woo as he slouched in the car seat. "One day we'll be there.." Slowly, he turned his head to Go Mi Nam. "We're competitors, but that doesn't mean we can't be friends. So, I won't let there be any harsh feelings between us. But promise you'll do the same...kay?"

"I.." Go Mi Nam was at a loss of words. It appeared that Jin Woo really treasured their friendship, despite just meeting that day, only hours earlier. Instead of questioning it any longer, she just smiled and nodded her head in confirmation. "I promise. I won't let music get in the way.."

"Great!" Jin Woo's eyes brightened up at her words and almost immediately he sat upright. "How much further, Seong Jae?"

"We're here," Seong Jae confirmed, pulling over in a nearby street.

"So why're you parking over here?" mumbled Jin Woo, peering over at Seong Jae with a puzzled expression.

"Don't be stupid.." Seong Jae rolled down his window and pointed over at Anjell's dorm that was a street away. "Are you blind? There are a crowd of reporters over there.. Say, Mi Nam, what happened?"

"Ah.." Go Mi Nam covered her face with both hands, having completely forgotten about the incident with the interview earlier. "I..I.." She couldn't even bring herself to tell them; or rather, what _could_ she tell them? That she completely messed up an interview with the _National Fairy_ by not remembering the important details of a recent accident? If anything, that sounded fishy in itself and it would definitely create suspicion.

"It's okay," murmured Jong Min. "You don't have to answer. I already know."

"Wh––what?" Go Mi Nam's breathing hitched at his comment and she was left startled. Her features scrunched up in both confusion and concern and her heart began to beat faster, faster, and _faster_ by the second.

 _I've been found out…!_

Perhaps she had been too obvious from the very beginning. Oh, how could she believe that she could pull this charade another time around––especially since she almost failed the first time! It was clear from the beginning that this was never going to work and Go Mi Nyu had been wrong to take on such a huge mission. Now, this mission to protect her brother had become a heavy burden on her small and weak shoulders. Tears had almost threatened to fall due to her failure when suddenly Jong Min went on.

"We bumped into each other earlier, remember? Running from the reporters?" Jong Min said, tapping the side of Seong Jae's head. "Don't give me that suspicious look."

 _He was referring to our first meeting.._

A silent breath of relief came from Go Mi Nam as she blinked away the tears that had formed. She was worried that she had failed already. Luckily, that wasn't the case...this time. But Go Mi Nam had to remember to be more careful to keep up her disguise as her brother. Otherwise, she would be bringing down the careers of the people she cared most about.

 _Tae Kyung.. Jeremy.. Shin Woo.. I don't want to fail them.._

Suddenly, Jin Woo's loud voice interrupted her worrisome thoughts: "Well, are we gonna head out now?"

"In a moment. Come on everyone, get out––and do so quietly!" Seong Jae commanded.

Obeying, Go Mi Nam exited the vehicle, keeping her back towards the crowd of reporters down the street. She crossed her arms over her chest, feeling her stomach twist and turn. A part of her wanted to know _desperately_ what exactly these reporters had written in their reports. And without her cellphone, she couldn't exactly check any news sites. Another part of her, on the other hand, didn't want to see what rumors had begun to spread because of her foolishness. She was afraid what lies would unfold.

"Here, put this on." Jong Min handed her a purple sweater that was clearly too large for her tiny body. As she peered up at him, she realized he had also changed into a sweater himself. It was a red sweater, not too bright, nor too dark. Almost the perfect shade. "It's just to disguise you, so don't worry."

Taking the sweater carefully, she glanced over at Seong Jae who reached into the vehicle trunk once more. He pulled out two sweaters, passing one to Jin Woo and keeping the other for himself. Jin Woo began pulling on his blue sweater, while Seong Jae put on his green one. Hesitantly, she pulled on the purple sweater, being right in the fact that the sweater was far too big for her small and tiny size. The length of the sleeves fell inches past the tips of her fingers and the cloth itself covered more than her torso.

"Ooh, purple looks good on you, Mi Nam!" exclaimed Jin Woo, before getting smacked upside the head by Seong Jae. "Owwww…!"

"What don't you understand about being quiet, moron?" scowled Seong Jae irritably. "You're going to get all of us caught.."

"Right, right.. I'll be more careful," promised Jin Woo with a tiny and innocent smile. "But isn't that a comfy sweater, Mi Nam? It's Dae Hwan's favorite sweater!"

"Dae Hwan.. Isn't that.." she began slowly, blinking several times. "Isn't he in your group?"

By now, all the boys had decided to pull up their hoodies to hide their faces. Mi Nam did the same. "Yup! But don't worry, we won't tell him you wore his sweater. If he found out, he'd throw a fit!" Jin Woo's sweet and innocent smile turned into a mischievous one.

Obviously confused by that comment, Seong Jae took his turn to clear up any misunderstandings. "Dae Hwan.. He's a bit possessive. But it's best you don't ask why." Despite being very open and friendly to Go Mi Nam, Seong Jae spoke more firmly and seriously. His smile had long since faded away, but before Mi Nam could say anything further, he turned towards the direction Anjell's dormitory was at. "So tell us, how can we sneak you in?"

"Ah.." Go Mi Nam nodded, and gestured for the boys to follow her. "I know a way around. No one thinks of going around there." She started off by jogging over to the other side of the street. "We'll have to go the long way.."

"How come no one thinks of coming this way?" mumbled Jin Woo, following directly behind her. "Is it that much of a secret."  
"Well… it's not a secret, really. We used to have a backdoor, but we 'got rid of it' to prevent anyone from going that way. Well, we didn't really get rid of it.. It stills exists. It's just hiding behind a painting," explained Go Mi Nam. "It's not normally used for entry, though.. More like an extra exit to escape, or quick leave. And we don't want anyone to know about it because we want to avoid crowds when we're rushing somewhere."

"Ooh, is it safe to tell us then? I thought it was supposed to be a secret.." Jin Woo's question was right in a sense. It was supposed to be a secret.

"Well, this case is different. I trust you," she told him, leading them the long way around to the back. From behind, she could hear Jin Woo whisper an enthusiastic 'yes!'At the moment, she paid little mind to what she spoke; she was more concentrated on making her way quietly to the back entrance. However, a few more cautious steps towards the back entry, and suddenly she heard a voice behind her.

"Go Mi Nam?" an unrecognizable voice questioned. "Is that you, Go Mi Nam?"

"Ah.." Go Mi Nam froze in place, not bothering to answer back. If she did, she knew it wouldn't result in anything good.

Instead, the feminine voice went on. "What a surprise. It is you, isn't it? And who is this with you? Monstar, perhaps?"

Finally, after gaining the courage, she spun around to face the woman––dressed in formal attire––a couple feet away. In her hands was a notepad, and right behind her was a cameraman. At this moment, Go Mi Nam's hopes sunk. She was caught. But how?

"My name is Park Seo Yeon, reporter from Baek-Ji news, or as you may know, BaJi Daily. You're probably wondering how I unfoiled your little plan to sneak in through the back." With a false smile planted on her lips, the reporter took a few more steps towards her. "We arrived in time to see you exiting a vehicle, well known to be Monstar's. It's quite easy to figure out what's going on when you know all the facts. But it appears you were trying to avoid all the reporters, isn't that right? You don't want them to uncover the truth behind your suspicious behavior earlier. But I wonder.. Why are you meeting with Monstar––a strong competitor to Anjell? Is there something you want to admit to?"

"I.. This is nothing," responded Go Mi Nam, clenching her jaw. By now, Seong Jae, Jin Woo and Jong Min had all turned around to face the reporter.

"He's right, you're wrong!" Jin Woo insisted. "You're just trying to put him in a bad light!"

"Jin Woo, be quiet!" hissed Seong Jae quietly. "Don't do this."

"Oh? But am I wrong? Go Mi Nam, a well known member of Anjell, is meeting secretly with Monstar. I don't see Anjell anywhere else, and I'm certain if I asked questions about this to your fellow band members, they wouldn't know, right? Tell me, are you now joining a scandal to bring down Anjell?" questioned Seo Yeon.

"I.. It's not like that," responded Go Mi Nam weakly, unsure of how to answer or what to say. She could practically feel herself tremble at such accusations, but she was never a good liar. "I.."

"He's been preparing for future activities," interrupted a voice.

Lifting her gaze barely, Go Mi Nam was surprised to see Tae Kyung, Shin Woo, and Jeremy strolling past the reporter and approaching Go Mi Nam. He stood firmly beside her, making unwavering contact with the camera that was focused on them now.

"It's a secret from the public.. Or so it was supposed to be. But because of nosy reporters like you, our secret is out. Anjell has been meeting with Monstar to discuss future activities we both plan to participate in. Our collaboration will focus on recordings of these activities––all of which I will not discuss publicly, yet. But you can all rest assured that Go Mi Nam has simply been following our schedule." Tae Kyung's lips curved into a small smile––one that Go Mi Nam knew was fake. But he could fake one so well, despite it being forced. "These activities will begin as soon as the following week. So if you don't mind, we have more work to get to."

Gesturing for Anjell to follow him, Tae Kyung began to walk past the clearly agitated reporter. And as if on cue, Jeremy and Shin Woo waved to the cameras with warm and enthusiastic smiles of their own before following Tae Kyung. Directly behind them, Go Mi Nam and Monstar also followed. Finally, once they were a good distance away, Tae Kyung spun around to face everyone––Go Mi Nam specifically. His features no longer held a forced smile, but rather an irritated expression.

 _He's mad.. So very mad.._

But he wouldn't yell at her in front of everyone else––right..?


	11. Frustrations

Initially, Tae Kyung had been very worried for his girlfriend. But now, after seeing her caught up in a reporter's lies, he was a little angry. Not at her, but at the fact that _someone_ dared to pick on a fragile person like Go Mi Nam. She was already carrying an extremely heavy burden, one no one knew about, yet instead of going to someone who was used to the publicity, _they_ went to _her_. And he knew exactly who this reporter was.

 _Park Seo Yeon._

She was well known for destroying the careers of idols through scandals. She was usually the one to start the rumors that began the scandals. So there was a strong connection between her and the failures of idol's careers. That's why it pissed him off to such an extent; Go Mi Nyu wasn't ready for a reporter like her. Any wrong mistake, and two lives would be ruined, perhaps even more. And it was obvious she targeted a group like Anjell so she could gain large amounts of popularity. She was such an annoyance.

 _Like the National Fairy…_

Despite being in front of another group, he couldn't hold back his anger.

"You should know better to be more careful!" he snapped, ignoring Monstar momentarily. After a few seconds of a brief silence, he turned towards Monstar's members, eyeing them each individually. "As for you.."

Jin Woo interrupted Tae Kyung. "Mi Nam did nothing wrong, so you shouldn't raise your voice at someone so special––"

Seong Jae slapped a hand over Jin Woo's mouth. "Never mind Jin Woo. I don't believe we've introduced ourselves, first of all.."

 _How annoying.._

"Is there a reason for any introduction?" Tae Kyung raised an eyebrow. "We're both well known groups, at the very top of the charts. I don't see the need for any sort of introduction.."

"I'm Jeremy!" Pushing Tae Kyung aside, Jeremy held out his hand to Jin Woo with a bright smile. "Pleasure to meet you!"

Hesitantly, and clearly brushing aside his own annoyances, Jin Woo shook Jeremy's hand before responding with a grin of his own. "Jin Woo. And this is Jong Min, and Seong Jae." He gestured to the two other band members.

Jeremy waved at the other two, meanwhile Shin Woo also waved very briefly. "I'm Shin Woo." Despite his smile, Tae Kyung could easily tell it was forced.

"Great, now we all know each other," muttered Tae Kyung. "Now.. We will be meeting at your place next week. Our manager will contact you and receive the details––"

"Actually, we were curious to see your place next," interrupted Jong Min; finally speaking. "Go Mi Nam has seen ours. Wouldn't you say it's a bit fair to let us see yours, especially on such short notice? We aren't ready for a live recording, since it's been such a hectic week."

Tae Kyung clenched his jaw. He was hesitant to agree, but what more could he do? He just needed them to agree to their new schedule for the upcoming week to keep up the act. "Fine. Our manager will deliver the details by tomorrow. You will receive a set schedule. Now, if you'll excuse us.." He was ready to make his way inside, but before he did so, he moved closer to Go Mi Nam. She stepped back out of sudden surprise, but he remained close.

"Wh-what..?" she asked quietly.

" _This_ ," he responded, tugging at the _ugly_ purple sweater. "Take it off and return it."

"Oh.." Nodding her head in agreement, she removed the sweater, which left her hair a mess. She then handed it to Jin Woo before Tae Kyung yanked her away and closer to him. She let out a small yelp of surprise, but seemed to calm down a little bit as he draped an arm over her shoulder, pulling her close.

"Let's hurry up. Shin Woo, Jeremy." Tae Kyung began walking, with Jeremy and Shin Woo huddling close to block Go Mi Nam from any view of reporters near the front entrance. As they all began to near the entrance, flashing cameras and questions exploded around them, leaving Anjell's members with little space to move about. But despite this, they hurried past the crowd, slipping through them while blocking Go Mi Nam's view of the reporters and cameras. Despite their success in escaping the dozens of reporters, Tae Kyung could still very well hear their annoying questions.

"Go Mi Nam, why did you leave your interview with the National Fairy earlier?"

"Why were you unable to answer our questions, Go Mi Nam? What's going on?"

"Does this have any connection to the famous 'Monstar'? Answer us, Go Mi Nam!"

Once all four of them made it inside, Tae Kyung slammed the door shut as he exhaled exasperatedly. Everyone else fell silent. After a few seconds, Tae Kyung stood up straight and turned towards Go Mi Nam, still wearing the same, irritated expression.

"You two.. Start planning our routine for next week," commanded Tae Kyung as he eyed Jeremy and Shin Woo. "I need to speak.. _alone_ , to Go Mi Nam." Without waiting to hear their responses, Tae Kyung strolled past them and grabbed Go Mi Nam by the arm; dragging her away to his room.

"O-ow.. Hyung-nim," she whined silently.

He ignored her, but she wouldn't stop whining.

" _Hyung-nim_!"

Once again, he ignored her. Once they reached his room, he dragged her inside before slamming the door shut. Finally, they were alone in the silence of his room. "Sit."

She obeyed him without question. By now, Go Mi Nam had begun to pout, offering an innocent smile as if to free herself from the trouble she was in. But Tae Kyung knew better than to let that slide. He approached her, arms folded across his chest while eyeing her sternly.

"What the heck were you thinking?" he demanded angrily. "You were supposed to go in for an interview one minute, but the next, you've disappeared off the face of the Earth! What were you _thinking_?"

"They.. They were asking me questions of something I didn't know about," responded Go Mi Nam, her smile now fading away from her features. "I was.. afraid."  
"Afraid?" repeated Tae Kyung.

"Yes.. I was afraid that I was going to bring down Anjell.. So I ran away.." she confessed weakly. Tears had begun to form in her eyes. "I was afraid that you would all face the consequences of lying to everyone like this.."

She was definitely fragile. Such a heavy burden was capable of damaging someone like this; Tae Kyung knew this well himself. From the beginning, she was dragged away from her daily life and future to live a false one. Her life had been put on pause, while her brother's life had continued. She was placed in such a hard position: lying to everyone, having one person aware of her identity. Tae Kyung was even well aware that he had made it hard on her, though she handled it well. Now...Tae Kyung wasn't so sure how much more she could withstand. To lie, for so long, while her brother remained in critical condition do to an unfortunate event.

"Why didn't you _run_ to _me_?" Tae Kyung finally asked, sitting down beside her. "You ran away when you were afraid. But now we know; you're not alone, Mi Nyu. Shin Woo, Jeremy, and I know of this situation.. Any one of us could have helped you."

"I don't know.. I just freaked out, hyung-nim.. They kept asking me about the accident and I didn't know what to say.. I was so afraid that they were going to find out.." she whispered, wiping her tears away. "I'm sorry."

"Next time, come to us." Hesitantly, Tae Kyung's arms wrapped around Go Mi Nam's small body, pulling her close, though unsure if this was the right thing to do. He was never one to comfort someone, but he _needed_ to reassure her. "No.. Forget that. I'll just stay by your side."

"Hy-hyung-nim..?"

"I'll stay by your side so you don't have to face this alone, okay? I promise, I won't let you go through any of this alone." He rested his chin atop her head, avoiding any eye contact now. For him to say something so unlike him...it bothered him a little. But for Go Mi Nam, he was willing to be this way. He had grown to love her far too much. "..Just don't mention this to any of those morons out there," he mumbled.

A small laugh came from Go Mi Nam. "..Thank you hyung-nim. I won't tell anyone.." She pulled away and peered up at him with a small smile, wiping away the rest of her tears. "I thought you were mad at me.."

"I wasn't mad.. Just worried." Tae Kyung rolled his eyes. "I was pissed off at that idiotic reporter, Park Seo Yeon. What a brat.."

"You know her?" asked Mi Nam curiously.

"Not personally, thankfully. I'd hate to know her. She's as bad as that National Annoyance." Tae Kyung sighed irritably. "I'll tell you more about her tomorrow or something.. I'm just tired now."

"Why are you tired?"

He shot her a brief yet gentle glare. "Why do you think? Who do you think searched for you, for countless hours, _on foot_?"

"Hmm.. Jeremy and Shin Woo?" she asked. At his sharpened glare, she waved her hand dismissively and laughed innocently. "I was just kidding.. I know you helped too, hyung-nim. But I just wanted you to admit it. I think it's sweet when you confess to those kinds of things.."

Before she could expect it, Tae Kyung wrapped his arms around her once more and laid down on the bed with her in his arms. At the sudden movement, she yelped in surprise, though he kept her in a firm yet gentle grasp.

"Hy-hyung-nim.. What.. What are you doing?" she stammered in shock.

"Shut up.. I'm tired, _Mi Nyu_.. I need some sleep.." he murmured quietly, closing his eyes and nestling his face into her shoulder.

"But with...me?" she questioned once more.

"Yes, you're my _pig-rabbit_. I went out looking for you.. Am I not allowed to spend some time with you?" Before she could respond, he simply continued. "Just.. Let's lay here, for a few minutes.. I'm tired, but I want to be by your side in the meantime.."

"Hyung-nim," she whispered quietly.

"..What?" he grumbled.

"You said something sweet again," she teased. But afterwards, she brushed her fingers through his hair. That helped relax him further, and helped in drifting him off into sleep. With Go Mi Nam in his arms, he felt as though he could actually sleep peacefully, once again.

* * *

"What's wrong, Shin Woo?" asked Jeremy as he peered over at his fellow band member.

Shin Woo was currently writing down Anjell's future routine for the following week. Though he wasn't exactly eager to begin activities with their competitor, he now had no choice, seeing as Tae Kyung made the choice to protect Go Mi Nyu and Anjell. Not that Shin Woo minded; he would have done the same for Mi Nyu. However, he still couldn't help but feel slight jealousy towards Tae Kyung, who had taken Mi Nyu up into his room. With the two of them up there, no one knew what they were up to. But that wasn't the part that had him jealous. It was something else.

"Nothing," responded Shin Woo as he set down the notepad and pen. "I suppose you could say I'm a little disappointed, though."  
Jeremy seemed to know what was on his mind. "You wanted to be the one to be there for Mi Nam, didn't you?"

Shin Woo sighed silently. "..Perhaps I did."

 _If we can't be together.. I at least wanted to be someone she could rely on. But it seems as though I can't even be that pillar of support for her. Just what am I to you now, Go Mi Nyu?_


	12. Suspicions

"...Go Mi Nam!" called a voice from the other side of her bedroom door. "Wake up! It's time to wake up!"

Go Mi Nam let out a small groan of exhaustion as she clung to her pillow with both arms. "..Yeah.." she mumbled, practically silently. After a couple seconds of being _barely_ awake, she began to drift off into sleep, when there was a sudden banging on her bedroom door.

"Mi Nam! Mi Nam!" repeated the voice.

Her eyelids fluttered open and she scrunched up her face, trying to recognize the voice calling to her. At first––despite the familiarity––she wasn't able to picture the face belonging to such an _enthusiastic_ voice, and Go Mi Nam was sure she _knew_ the owner of the voice.

 _It's my exhaustion… Confusing me.._

" _Go Mi Nam_ …! Wake up before I bring Tae Kyung hyung up here!" called the voice in one, final warning.

Suddenly, Go Mi Nam shot upward into a sitting position at the mention of the ' _threat_.' "Jeremy! I-I'm awake! Don't bother him, _please_.."

Such a response seemed to satisfy Jeremy, seeing as he replied cheerfully, "Good! Hurry up––today's the start of the Anjell-Monstar collaboration!"

"Ah.." Go Mi Nam ran her tiny fingers through her short hair, sighing loudly. "I almost forgot.. We have a collaboration with Monstar ever since _that_ incident last week.." Puffing out her cheeks, Go Mi Nam forced herself out of bed and stumbled over to her wardrobe, searching through the drawers for an outfit suitable for a day of activities. After throwing the outfit together, she changed into it quickly, so that she could meet up with the rest of the boys.

But as she combed her hair, standing in front of her mirror, Go Mi Nam began to think more on the schedule she would share with Monstar. Many questions ran through her mind, and of all things, she wasn't sure how the day would go at all. A part of her began to fear meeting further with Monstar, simply because she was afraid to be found out. After combing her short strands of hair, Go Mi Nam set down the comb and left her room so that none of her fellow band members would worry about her. She raced down into the kitchen, slowing to a stop as her eyes scanned the room.

Tae Kyung was standing against the counter, with a glass of water in his hands. As usual, his brows were scrunched in annoyance. "You're late. Just imagine that... _group_ arriving before you woke up."

"Mi Nam!" Jeremy waved at her from his seat at the table. "Good morning!"

"Yes, good morning." Shin Woo approached her from behind. He held out a glass of orange juice to her. "It's going to be a long day.. But don't worry, it'll all work out." He offered a smile of reassurance. And just as she was about to grab the glass of orange juice, Tae Kyung swooped in and took it from Shin Woo.

"Not now. First, we need to talk." Tae Kyung placed the glass on the table and slid it over to Jeremy, who happily took it into his own hands. "I'll get you a new one later. Now, come on." Taking her hand _gently_ , he pulled her directly behind him and into the next room over where they would be alone. After shutting the door, he turned to face her with concern etched onto his features. "Are you going to be okay with doing this?"

"This..?" she repeated quietly. Briefly, she paused, before nodding firmly with a tiny smile. "Yes, I am going to be okay, hyung. They are nice people."

"It doesn't matter if they seem nice, Mi Nyu," spoke Tae Kyung, using her real name. "Someone who appears nice can easily take advantage of you." He approached her, placing both hands on either sides of her shoulders, giving them a light squeeze. "I'm asking you to be careful, got it? You put yourself in the same position last time, and guess what almost happened? You were almost caught multiple times. And if any of those Monstar bastards do anything to hurt you, let me know; understand?"

"...You're silly, Tae Kyung," she spoke out of the blue, smiling warmly at her boyfriend. Boldly, she leaned up and kissed his cheek before pulling away and leaving him dumbfounded over her response. "You were never one to worry over my well being so easily.. I'm happy you care about me. But from now on, we should try to keep in character...right?" She wasn't trying to express any concern, but the truth was plain and obvious: she was terrified. She swallowed thickly, rubbing the side of her head as she lowered her gaze from his questioning one. "...This time I don't want to get caught. So just, _please_ , see me as Go Mi Nam, nothing else. This is for your sake, and Anjell's.." she began, before he cut her off.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? You're willing to play in character, for as long as it takes? What if that takes weeks, months? I won't let you live the rest of your life as a lie, Go Mi _Nyu_ ," he interrupted her. "Right now, Anjell is the least of my concerns. You are not your brother, and he is not you. We can only hide this for so long…" He sighed irritably, giving a small shake of the head. "...I should have done more to prevent this. Mi Nyu––I'm sorry."

Before she could utter a response––and snapping her out of her shock––Tae Kyung pulled a move he rarely did. His arms wrapped around her tiny shoulders and brought her close against him, resting his chin atop her head.

"H-hyung.."

"Don't talk.. Just.. accept my apology. Because I should have done more." Tae Kyung's words were drowned in what sounded like sorrow.

His tone alone caught her off guard, but for a moment, Go Mi Nam decided to keep silent and appreciate their moment of closeness, as she was well aware these times wouldn't come often. Her eyelids closed, and for what seemed like an eternity, she listened to his light breathing, and fell deeper into his sweet, sweet embrace. If she could, she would strip herself of her brother's name and spend her life alongside his, for as long as she could, and for as long as their love was possible.

"..Tonight, after this whole situation clears up, do you want to spend the night together..?" mumbled Tae Kyung quietly.

At his words, Go Mi Nam's eyes shot wide open and she stiffened in his grasp. "..Sp-spend the night...with you…?" she repeated, stuttering slightly at first. "...In your...bed?"

At her question, Tae Kyung's arms dropped from her and he spun away from her, shielding his face from hers as he pressed a hand to the side of his head. "Not what I meant! Really, I'm trying to suggest that we just spend time together!" He cleared his throat from the obvious embarrassment. "...Not in my bed," he added quickly, as he spun around and hit her lightly at the side of her head. "Get your mind out of the gutter, or else I'll take back what I said.."

"Ow," mumbled Go Mi Nam as she rubbed the area he hit.

"That didn't hurt you," he retorted, rolling his eyes. "I barely hit you."

"Still," complained Go Mi Nam with a slight pout. "You're not supposed to hit your girlfriend––"

Her words fell short, as she avoided his gaze once more because of the heat flooding her cheeks. The two were very much boyfriend and girlfriend, though they never verbally clarified such a statement. Truthfully, for Go Mi Nam, calling herself his girlfriend felt odd; her tongue had not grown used to the term.

"..You're not supposed to hit me," she clarified, deciding not to go with the term 'girlfriend,' because Tae Kyung had also grown quiet afterwards. However, as she began to stroll past him so they wouldn't have to remain in such an awkward situation, he grabbed a firm hold of her arm and pulled her back so he could look her in the eye.

"..Maybe you're right. I shouldn't hit my _girlfriend_ , but I'm going to anyway," he retorted to her. Before he released his grip on her, he leaned down to kiss the side of her head, where he bopped her lightly. "..All better? I heard kisses make things better.." After releasing her arm, he then turned away and strolled out of the room–– _calmly_ ––first, leaving her behind a shocked mess.

Although, admittedly, Go Mi Nam couldn't help the smile that had then formed on her lips, as she brushed her hand along her neck. "Much, much better, Tae Kyung."

* * *

After he exited the room, closing the door shut behind him, Tae Kyung exhaled shakily as he ran his fingers through his hair. Embarrassment flooded over the poor singer, and for a second, he was in disbelief himself.

"Did I just.." he whispered; apparently loud enough for Shin Woo to overhear.

"Did you just what?" he repeated, curiously, with the tilt of his head. "What did you do?"

"Ooh!" Jeremy jumped into the conversation with a wide, knowing grin. "I think I know!"

"You don't!" barked Tae Kyung, cheeks flushed at the thought of everyone figuring out that he––their cold and distant leader––had a 'loving' side. "I just...hit Go Mi Nam."

"Whaa?" Jeremy jogged up to Tae Kyung and hit him lightly on the arm. "You're dating, aren't you? You don't hit your girlfriend, hyung!"

"Back off––what I do with my girlfriend is none of your business!" growled Tae Kyung as he punched Jeremy harshly in the arm.

"Owww," whined Jeremy, rubbing his arm with a slight pout. "You're cold, hyung.."

Tae Kyung snorted and took a seat at the table. "Suck it up, and quit complaining."

Within a couple seconds of Jeremy's complaints, Go Mi Nam finally stepped outside the room. Tae Kyung noticed how she avoided everyone's gaze, shyly approaching the table, but instead of sitting beside Tae Kyung, she sat next to Shin Woo; brushing strands of hair behind her ear.

At first, all three of the members watched and stared at her in confusion. Tae Kyung mentally slapped himself in the face, knowing that her behavior was only making it even more obvious that something occurred between the two.

Shin Woo was the first to question her behavior. "Is everything okay?"

"Y-yeah.. Everything is fine!" responded Go Mi Nam, but not without stuttering first.

"Then why're you all red?" pressed Jeremy as he seated himself beside her as well. "What's got you looking like a tomato?" He leaned in close to her, clearly passing her personal bubble of space.

"No-nothing!" she replied immediately, shoving his face away from hers as she turned her head to the side, only to meet with Shin Woo's curious gaze. "..Not you too.."

"Then. Tell. Us!" Jeremy demanded eagerly, almost like a child.

"Yah!" snapped Tae Kyung as he kicked the seat closer to him––Jeremy's seat exactly. The power of the kick almost sent Jeremy out of his seat. "What did I say? I just said that everything we do is none of your _business_! Behind closed doors doesn't concern either of you.."

Regret flooded over Tae Kyung as he saw Shin Woo and Jeremy exchange a curious look with one another; one that was almost suspicious. Jeremy was the first to break the silence, with a wide, knowing grin.

"I knew it! You kissed Mi Nam!" Jeremy sang out in a mocking tone. "Hyung kissed Mi Nam! Hyung kissed Mi Nam!"

"That...isn't it.." Tae Kyung forced those words past his lips, gripping onto the table in frustration. "Take that back."

"So what if it is true, Tae Kyung?" Shin Woo's words startled the singer. Surprisingly, his expression remained calm, and his voice cool. His eyes bore into Tae Kyung's, almost as if he was observing him. Such an act made Tae Kyung fairly uncomfortable and he shifted in his seat underneath Shin Woo's gaze. "You two are dating.. It wouldn't be weird."

"Shin Woo," began Tae Kyung, by now coming to the realization that Shin Woo did have feelings for Go Mi Nyu at one point. But before he could even begin his statement, a loud voice boomed out into the room.

"Tae Kyung!"

He easily recognized the _annoying_ voice as Anjell's imbecile excuse of a manager, Manager Ma.

Without waiting for a response, Manager Ma strolled into the kitchen with four young males following behind him. He smiled uneasily at Tae Kyung. "M-Monstar is here.." With Manager Ma's back towards the young group, he mouthed a couple words to Tae Kyung: "Be nice."

Tae Kyung snorted and dismissed the Manager with a wave of his hand. "Great. Now, go. We can take over from here."

Hesitantly, almost like he didn't trust Tae Kyung, Manager Ma turned away and left, but not before bowing slightly to the group. After Manager Ma's departure, Tae Kyung's observant gaze watched Monstar as they stood around quietly for a few seconds, adjusting to their new environment. There were four males, one Tae Kyung didn't see the first time they met in the previous week. A blond, who focused his gaze on the floor, rather than area around him like his other members. If anything, Tae Kyung found his behavior questionable for an idol's, but he brushed it aside and ignored it. Then he shifted his gaze over to Go Mi Nam who sat silently in her seat, awkwardly, and clearly nervously. Her legs were dangling slightly, and she was rubbing her hands together.

"Mi Nam!" Tae Kyung flinched at the sudden, obnoxious yell. He watched carefully as the man––previously addressed as Jin Woo––dashed up to her and threw his arms around her. Tae Kyung stiffened at the act, and was almost tempted to throw the idol off _his_ girlfriend, but remained sitting. "I missed you! It's been so long, ya know? It just didn't feel like a good day without you."  
The other orange-haired idol––Seong Jae––followed calmly behind Jin Woo, fulfilling Tae Kyung's temptation and yanking Jin Woo off his girlfriend. "Hey, idiot, watch who you're touching. You've known Go Mi Nam for a week, and here you are acting like a fanboy."

"Oh shut up, Seong Jae.. You're so lame. No one's interested in the laid back type." Jin Woo stuck out his tongue.

"It's okay, Seong Jae," agreed Go Mi Nam, speaking at long last. "I don't mind. I thought it was kinda nice."

"See? What a loser! This is why Go Mi Nam is my new man!" Jin Woo flinched in pain as Seong Jae threw a punch into his arm. "Oww..!"

"Oops. My hand slipped." Shoving past a whining Jin Woo, Tae Kyung continued to watch as Seong Jae moved in to hug Go Mi Nam.

Impatient and irritated, Tae Kyung cleared his throat. "Are you done? We don't have all day."

 _Especially since I have plans tonight…_

"He's like you," Jin Woo whispered to Seong Jae, yet being loud enough for everyone to hear. "Soooo lame."

Just as Tae Kyung was about to snap back at Jin Woo's irritating comment, Shin Woo spoke up first so that a fight wouldn't ignite between the two. "Ah, is that your other member?" he asked, looking over to Jin Woo as he gestured to the quiet blond.

"Oh, yeah!" Jin Woo jogged over to his friend and patted him on the back. "This here is Dae Hwan! Sorry, he's so quiet lately, but trust me: he's really, really cool."

Dae Hwan finally lifted his bored gaze from the floor. He crossed his arms over his chest, shrugging off his friend's hand. "We don't need to do anymore introductions. I know you're Jeremy," he pointed out each member. "Shin Woo… Tae Kyung.. And Go Mi Nam.." After mentioning Go Mi Nam's name, his gaze lingered on her for a couple more seconds before he glanced away. "Well, that was fun."

"Oh come on."

Sighing in annoyance, Tae Kyung blocked out Jin Woo's complaints to Dae Hwan, with Seong Jae's retorts following after. Tae Kyung's eyes looked over to Shin Woo who was listening patiently, Jeremy who had gotten up and joined Jin Woo's conversation, and Go Mi Nam who also watched with a warm smile on her lips; almost as if she were amused by the other group. With his annoyance only growing, he then glanced over at the one member who didn't say a single word: Jong Min.

Surprisingly, Jong Min looked to be observing the dorm. After watching Jong Min for some time, Tae Kyung noticed eventually that his observing gaze drifted over to Go Mi Nam; eyeing her figure.

 _Why is that creep looking at her? He couldn't possibly know….could he?_


	13. Jealousy

Tae Kyung, utterly bored within an hour of their schedule, recorded the activities for a while. He stood directly in the path of the sun's rays, dying in the heat while watching carefully as both groups messed around with each other, in the oddest ways possible. Regretfully, Tae Kyung decided to wear all black that day, which seemed like a bad idea since dark colors attracted an insane amount of heat. However, his sufferings from his mistakes didn't stop Tae Kyung from keeping an eye on Monstar.

Jin Woo was the one who decided on the "fun" both Monstar and Anjell would have, which was another reason why Tae Kyung offered to record the entire event. No one at all seemed to mind, seeing as Jeremy was excited to join in on Monstar's antics. Shin Woo seemed a bit hesitant, but only tagged along with Go Mi Nam, who also thought it would be very fun. However, Monstar––aside from Jin Woo––seemed a bit indifferent initially, based on Tae Kyung's observations. Seong Jae attempted to appear laid back, only agreeing with Jin Woo's idea barely. On the other hand, Dae Hwan remained as quiet as ever without any voice of opinion; he simply glued himself to Jong Min's side.

And Jong Min, the idol Tae Kyung kept an eye on, was also strangely quiet. Which was the complete opposite of what Tae Kyung saw the other night. To prepare for his interactions with the mysterious Monstar, Tae Kyung watched some of their videos; especially so that he knew what to expect from Monstar's idols. And in most of the videos Tae Kyung watched, he noticed that Jin Woo was the life of the group––similar to Jeremy of Anjell––but Jong Min was also an enthusiastic member. Much more than Seong Jae, who at this moment seemed to be the more lively member.

For their new activity, as Jin Woo passed each member a water gun, Seong Jae aimed his weapon at his other members, starting with Dae Hwan who flinched in surprise. "Bam! You're dead, Dae Hwan. Now your weapon is all mine," he teased, lowering the water gun.

Dae Hwan only rolled his eyes in response before turning his back to his fellow group member.

Seong Jae didn't seem to mind, as he shrugged off his fellow member's grumpy attitude. "So what are we going to do about teams?"

"What do you mean?" responded Jin Woo, dropping the final water gun off in Dae Hwan's hands. "Why can't we do Anjell versus Monstar?"

"Because, _stupid_ ," replied Seong Jae, flicking the side of Jin Woo's head. "It's going to be an unequal battle. Four against three."

"Well, then what do you suggest, _genius_?" Jin Woo rubbed the side of his head, flicking out his tongue tauntingly at his fellow member.

Tae Kyung watched the boring banter between the two members. Before Seong Jae could suggest his "bright" idea, Dae Hwan dropped his water gun to the floor and strolled over to Tae Kyung, taking the video camera from his hands.

"I'm not going to join in on this," mumbled Dae Hwan.

"Oh, c'mon Dae Hwan!" whined Jin Woo. "You've gotta be a team player.."

For once, Tae Kyung couldn't help but agree with Dae Hwan on not wanting to join in. But if Dae Hwan didn't want to be a part of the group's activities, then Tae Kyung would have to be the one to join in.

"I don't want to be a team player," Dae Hwan retorted, scoffing afterwards.

Just as Jin Woo was ready to object once more, Jong Min approached the leader from behind and placed a hand on his shoulder, to tell Jin Woo to give it up. "Let Dae Hwan record. Besides.." Jong Min added, turning his back towards Dae Hwan. "We would be giving Anjell bad ratings."

Tae Kyung eyed Jong Min, who then approached him. Jong Min offered a small smile to him.

"You'll just have to join us. I'm sure your fans would want to see more of you."

"He's right, Tae Kyung," agreed Jeremy, with a sly grin. "Besides.. I need someone to be my human shield! Won't you pleeeaase protect me?"

"No." Tae Kyung's blunt answer sent Jeremy into a pouting silence. But even though he would have preferred to stay behind the scenes, Tae Kyung knew at this point he had no choice in the matter; especially after Dae Hwan's declaration. He moved into Dae Hwan's previous position to pick up the water gun that was left on the ground. "How are we going to decide the teams?"

Seong Jae cleared his throat. "Well, since it's difficult to form any kind of team under fair circumstances, would any of you be comfortable joining our team? Or would you prefer representing Anjell?"

"But would that be okay?" Go Mi Nam spoke up finally, although quietly. "You would be outnumbered.."

Tae Kyung scoffed quietly, looking away with disbelief. Her kindness and consideration was obvious by her choice of words, and Tae Kyung couldn't believe she cared whether or not they were outnumbered.

"It'll be cool, Mi Nam!" Jin Woo chimed in, flashing a pleasant smile at her. "Even if we are outnumbered, it's all in good fun."

"Then it's fine," mumbled Tae Kyung, briefly examining the water gun in his hands. "You're right.. It's all in good fun. No sore losers, right?"

"Hyung.." Go Mi Nam whispered quietly, bumping his arm with her elbow. She focused her gaze back on Monstar's members, smiling. "I hope we'll be able to keep up with you. I'm not very good at these types of games.."

"I wouldn't worry too much," Seong Jae reassured her with a cool smile. "We'll go easy on you. But I can't say the same for your other members.."

"What?" Tae Kyung snorted, looking back at Shin Woo and Jeremy who looked equally offended. "Is that a challenge?"

Seong Jae's unwavering gaze remained on Tae Kyung, who began to approach him. "Maybe. Are you feeling scared?" As if in response to the challenge, Tae Kyung stood face to face with Seong Jae, who was now grinning. They were only inches away from each other when Jeremy chimed in.

"Yeah right! Me and my hyung's will beat you!" Jeremy declared, pointing his finger to each of the three members. "I swear it!"

"Ooh, I _love_ the sound of a challenge!" Jin Woo excitedly. "Jong Min, what about you?"

Tae Kyung peered at the silent Jong Min through the corner of his eyes. His eyes were focused on ground, but at Jin Woo's question, he raised his calm gaze; seeming unfazed by the competition going on. With one hand concealed in his pocket and the other holding onto the water gun, Jong Min shifted on his feet while pausing briefly.

"A challenge to beat Anjell? I wonder how that'll go.." he murmured, smiling slightly. "Let's see who will be the victor."

Tae Kyung couldn't help the uneasy feeling that overcame him. Something about Jong Min threw him off.

 _I don't want this freak near Go Mi Nyu. He's too strange for his own good.._

"Right! This is the battle of the best!" Jin Woo shouted, throwing his arms in the air before pointing his water gun at Tae Kyung. "Let's see who's the King of all!"

* * *

"Gotcha!" Jin Woo shouted.

Jeremy yelled out as he was shot in the side by a stream of water. Completely soaked and frustrated by his own defeat, he pouted and dropped his arms to his side. He fell back near the steps––now known as the "loser's corner"––and slouched against side of the building. Meanwhile, Jin Woo stood proudly with a devious smile.

"How many times does this make it? Five? Ha––!" Jin Woo pointed at him victoriously before a surge of water sprayed him in the back. "What the..?"

"Don't be so arrogant," said Tae Kyung, glancing around his surroundings briefly.

Rather than respond, Jin Woo simply groaned and whined quietly to himself, joining Jeremy in the corner of losers. As Go Mi Nam took the chance to look over at the two, she noticed how Jeremy scowled along with Jin Woo. Because of their arrogance, they became an easy target within each game. She frowned slightly at them before focusing back on her surroundings.

Throughout the previous six rounds––or battles, as Seong Jae called it––the true victor was so far a tie. The current round––the seventh, and last one––would determine who the real winner was. Go Mi Nam personally never made it to the very end, seeing as she usually got shot and "killed" by Seong Jae. Surprisingly, Seong Jae turned out to be the key player in the game, as he was very agile from what she noticed. For the seventh round, she decided to keep an open eye for Seong Jae, so that she would at the very least survive close to the end.

However, as she turned the corner of the building, she bumped directly into the man who she was trying to avoid: Seong Jae. At the moment, he started backing up, only to run his back into her the same time she turned the corner. Similar to Jeremy's reaction earlier, Go Mi Nam emitted a tiny yelp of surprise and her hands went to cover her mouth. Due to her reaction, she dropped the water gun on the ground as Seong Jae spun around to face his next victim. He smiled––an evil, merciless kind of smile––and raised his arms to point his water gun directly at her.

"Goodbye, Mi Nam."

 _Darn it.._

Right when she accepted her pitiful demise, by Seong Jae's hands, her eyes widened when a gush of water shot out and hit Seong Jae right in the face. Wiping his face with his available hand and coughing, Seong Jae's eyes lifted from Go Mi Nam and rested on the person who shot him.

Initially, Go Mi Nam thought it was Tae Kyung who saved her. But to her surprise, as she spun around to thank him, she spotted Shin Woo a couple feet away, lowering his water gun. "Shin Woo hyung.."

"I thought you might be in trouble," he murmured quietly, approaching Go Mi Nam and bending over to pick up her water gun. He handed her the water gun, smiling gently at her. "Aren't you lucky?"

"I.. I guess I am," she agreed, with a smile of her own. "I really thought I was a goner again.. He's always the one to take me out."

"I can hear you, you know.." moaned Seong Jae, sluggishly strolling over to the corner where Jeremy and Jin Woo were. "Damn!" he yelled, startling the two other idols as he kicked the wall out of frustration.

"Yah!" Jin Woo pointed a finger accusingly at Seong Jae. "Chill. Out."

While Jin Woo and Seong Jae started their usual banter, with Jeremy slowly distancing himself, Go Mi Nam looked up to her senior band member, smiling shyly as she rubbed the back of her neck. "Thank you, Shin Woo.. Really, I was trying to avoid him. But by doing so.." she mumbled.

"..You ran directly into him," he finished for her, as if reading her mind. "Don't worry. I kept my eye on you this time."

"You really did.." she agreed. "Have you seen Tae Kyung?"

The sudden change in subject caused Shin Woo to fall silent, oddly. Go Mi Nam wasn't sure why he went quiet, but she shrugged it off as she scanned her surroundings. Her eyes then focused back on Shin Woo when she found no one nearby. However, as her eyes looked back to him, she spotted a figure approaching him from behind.

"Ah.." She squinted slightly, catching Shin Woo's immediate attention. He turned his back to her and within seconds, she realized who the male approaching them was.

His black hair was how she identified him easily, but his cool composure helped her associate him with his name:

Jong Min.

Without words, he launched a string of water at her and Shin Woo, although Shin Woo shielded her from the attack by standing directly in front of her with his arms spread wide. He turned his head away and squeezed his eyes shut as he was shot in the chest with great _precision_. Shin Woo––officially soaked to the skin––frowned visibly as he lowered his arms, tossing his water gun to the ground in defeat.

"You're out," Jong Min called.

Shin Woo began to head out of the battle arena––but not before ruffling Go Mi Nam's hair with an encouraging smile. "You got this. I believe in you, Go Mi Nam."

"Hyung.." murmured Go Mi Nam, frowning at his words. "I'll.. I'll try."

Guilt began to build up in her chest. She didn't mean for him to go out so easily. She knew that he could have easily dodged that shot had he been alone. But for Go Mi Nam, he gave up his chance to be the victor. Despite his encouragement, she wasn't fully certain herself if she was capable of surviving until the end.

Jong Min didn't express any remorse in his calm features. Instead, he pointed his gun at her next. As he shot out at her, she was yanked to the side and behind the building; causing her to stumble into another person's arms to prevent her fall from the rapid movement.

Her head turned and her eyes focused on the familiar idol.

"Tae Kyung."

"Stop being so doubtful," were his words.

Her first reaction was to object to his comment. "I'm not doubtful!" she lied before he clamped a hand over her mouth, without warning. His next action was to drag her to the opposite end of the building once more and behind a tree. It was a familiar position, where he pressed her against the tree, standing in front of her as he searched the area for Monstar's last survivor, Jong Min. When the coast was clear, he peered down at her with a stern look.

"You're really going to argue with me––in the middle of a _game_?" he scoffed in disbelief.

"Well, you started it!" she retorted, pouting. "You called me doubtful.."

"Well, excuse me for having the wrong idea." Tae Kyung rolled his eyes. "You should be thanking me. If it weren't for me, you would've been out. You know, I have a good reason for accusing you of being doubtful."

She couldn't argue that. Go Mi Nam was well aware that she had been very close to being out of the game, because she _did_ question her ability to dodge. She was always that way, questioning whether or not what she was doing was right. At times, she even questioned her ability to succeed.

Especially when she was put up against the real stars. Anjell, Monstar; both were real and she was the fake. Both were talented, yet all she was fortunate to have was her voice, which she had no choice but to use for the sake of her brother. To Go Mi Nam, there was much to doubt. At times, she even wondered if who she was, was at all real.

 _Do I even...exist?_

 _Or am I just my brother's shadow..?_

"This might just be a game, but I refuse to lose to a bunch of half-rate idols," Tae Kyung continued, one of his hands now planted firmly on her shoulder while the other held onto his water gun. "And I know you can kick this guy to the curb."

"I.. I don't know if I can," she confessed, finally admitting and revealing her doubt to him. "You're all much more better at this than me."

"Are you kidding?" Tae Kyung flicked the side of her head. "You managed to survive longer than Jeremy.. That says a lot." He cleared his throat, clearly uncertain on how to motivate her. "Listen, I'm going to find Jong Min. You stay here, if you're _so_ uncertain."

Go Mi Nam remained silent, though she watched with great hesitance as he left her behind the tree to go out and find the last Monstar member. She dragged her fingers down her face and peered out from behind the tree, her doubtful gaze following Tae Kyung as he roamed the area in search of Jong Min. However, her eyes soon caught wind of him. Jong Min finally turned the corner, spotting Tae Kyung within seconds. Her first reaction was to call out to him, to warn him, but realized it wasn't necessary as Tae Kyung turned around almost immediately to face Jong Min.

Both idols raised their weapons at the same moment, but Jong Min was the first to pull the trigger, while managing to dodge Tae Kyung's following attack. Go Mi Nam covered her mouth with one hand, watching with wide eyes as Tae Kyung was the first and only one to get soaked by the water gun. At his defeat, Tae Kyung tossed his water gun aside, similar to Shin Woo earlier. As he strolled over to the wall of shame, he remained surprisingly quiet, but managed to glance Go Mi Nam's way.

In that second, she had a feeling that he meant to get himself out. And without a single bit of doubt, she clutched tightly onto the water gun and stepped out from behind the tree. Jong Min's back was turned, and despite having an easy win, she felt that it would've been unfair to take the shot. Instead, she cleared her throat.

"Jong Min."

He spun around to face her, locking eyes with her briefly before instantly raising his gun to shoot at his final victim. All it took was a second for him to shoot, yet she barely brushed her finger against the trigger.

Instead of shooting at the same exact moment, she dropped to her knees; barely missing the stream of water. Jong Min's mouth dropped open slightly at her quick movements.

Then, she pulled the trigger on the water gun.

Water sprayed all over Jong Min as he used his forearms to shield his face from the water. Although she never got to see his reaction to the loss, Go Mi Nam's lips curved upward into a bright smile as she straightened herself up. "I.. I did it.." she told herself, heartbeat fast as she looked towards the others.

Jeremy and Jin Woo's mouths were gaped open wide, while Seong Jae smacked his hand against his head in frustration to the loss. Shin Woo's gaze lit up as he smiled widely for her success, and Tae Kyung glanced away while folding his arms across his chest.

"I did it!" she exclaimed to everyone as she raced towards them.

Shin Woo was the one to meet her halfway across the arena, pulling her into an immediate hug. "I knew you could do it," he told her.

Jin Woo and Jeremy were the next to come up to her, with Seong Jae sulking behind them; still in disbelief himself. She was congratulated by the two idols, when suddenly Seong Jae wrapped an arm around her shoulder to pull her close as well.

"Congrats, Mi Nam, my man!" Jin Woo exclaimed in excitement for her. "You were definitely the best!"

"I knew he could do it! _Our_ Go Mi Nam is the best!" Jeremy bragged. "He even outdid our hyung!"

"Yeah, yeah," Seong Jae waved off their exaggerations. "He could learn some more, but…" He shifted his gaze down to her as he grinned warmly. "You did do pretty good. I'm still sour about losing, but hey… Anjell won, fair and square."

"Yeah." Jong Min surprisingly joined in, combing his fingers through his soaked hair. "You did really, really good.. I wasn't expecting that at all! I guess you really are one of the greatest, Go Mi Nam." Jong Min flashed her a small, congratulatory smile.

"What do you know?" mumbled Tae Kyung, being the last to approach her. "Guess you could take him down on your own. Not so useless, now are you?"

"Congrats," called Dae Hwan, looking unimpressed as always as he strolled up to the group of idols.

This caught Jin Woo's immediate attention, as he diverted his focus onto Dae Hwan and the camera in his hands. "I wanna see! We gotta see this!"

"Watch it, it's still rolling," claimed Dae Hwan as Jin Woo snatched the camera clumsily out of his hands.

"Yeah, careful," agreed Jong Min, nodding his head. "Remember, we have to keep rolling until we leave. We don't want to miss out on anything that might happen off camera."

While the others were distracted, Go Mi Nam peered up at Tae Kyung with a tiny smile. "Thank you, hyung."

He blinked at her comment, scoffing slightly. "What for? You did that all on your own. Remember I got caught?"

"Yeah, but I know you better than that," she replied, grinning now as he tried to look away. "You said you wanted to win so badly.. So I don't believe you would lose so easily. You're not that kind of person to take an easy loss."

"Well, whatever you're thinking is wrong." Tae Kyung turned away from her, but she kept at it, following him as he began to stroll away.

"But it's not," she responded. "You wanted to prove to me that I was capable if I believed in myself more."

He didn't say a single word.

"You know what you did," she continued in a teasing tone. "You're so kind to me.. Giving me that kind of win."

"Well, winning is not fun when I have to see you sitting out, because you underestimated yourself," he finally admitted, rolling his eyes afterwards. "How could I take pride in winning?"

"It's because you're a _softie_ ," she whispered, teasingly once again. "Softie, softie, _softie_."

"Whatever."

A voice suddenly caught her attention. "Hey, Mi Nam!"

Both she and Tae Kyung glanced over their shoulders, watching as Jin Woo jogged over to the unsuspecting couple. He waved the camera in his hands. "Here, could you charge this? It's low on battery, and we still have one more activity!"

"Certainly," she replied with a smile, taking the camera into her hands.

"Awesome! You're really the best, Mi Nam.. I can't believe you won for Anjell! You should join in with me when I prank Seong Jae. I bet it would be tons of fun with you!" Jin Woo exclaimed, going a little overboard.

"It's no problem, Jin Woo.." Go Mi Nam was taken aback by the compliments, but nonetheless, his words brought her happiness. "I would love to join in on your pranks. We can talk more on that, but...first I need to charge this for you."

She waved to him briefly, before turning to head inside. As she headed up the steps, she heard footsteps following her. Glancing over her shoulder, she noticed Tae Kyung directly behind her.

"Hyung?" she questioned.

"I'm thirsty," he responded.

That was the end of their conversation. They both headed on inside, and Go Mi Nam went to the couch to sit down and plug in the camera. After plugging it in, she set it down gently while Tae Kyung joined her on the couch with a water bottle in hand. For a couple minutes, waiting for the camera to charge, they sat in silence. Tae Kyung drank the water and she leaned back into the cushion of the couch, exhausted by the day's activities.

"So.." she began.

"So?" he repeated, setting the now-empty water bottle aside.

Before she could say a single word, a familiar voice echoed from the outside.

"Mi Naaaaam!" called a voice once again from the outside, leaving them no time to talk. "You've gotta come out here and see this! Hurry!"

She was ready to get up, but was pulled immediately back down by Tae Kyung; startling her. "Hyung––"

"Why?" he asked her, staring directly at her in disbelief.

"Why?" she repeated uncertainly, confused by the question. "I'm sorry, hyung, but what do you mean why..?"

"Don't call me 'hyung,'" Tae Kyung muttered. "I have a name. And why do you need to do whatever they say? What's so great about them that makes you so obedient?"

She was caught off guard by his sudden change in attitude and abrupt questions; ones that she didn't know how to answer. "I'm not obedient.."

"You couldn't be more obvious.." Tae Kyung released her wrist, sitting back into the cushion while carrying an expression of frustration. "I don't get it. Ever since you met these...these fools, you've been all over them."

"But why are you so upset over this?" she replied, unable to comprehend any reason he may have for questioning her. "They're nice and fun to be around.."

When he had zero words for her, it finally hit her as to why he might be upset. She adjusted her position on the couch, peering over at him with genuine curiosity and confusion.

"You.. You're not jealous, are you?"

He remained silent.

"Tae Kyung.."

"What?"

Despite not knowing what to say to comfort him, she leaned into him, resting her chin on his shoulder. "..Just because I like spending time with them, does not mean I like it more than being by your side."

"I never thought that for a second," he objected.

But like he was able to earlier, she detected the lie easily. "You are thinking that, though."

"..Whatever." His response was so simple. "I don't really care.. I just don't see what's so great about them."

"Well, it'll just be us tonight, if that makes you feel better," she told him with a tiny smile. "We could do something fun too."

"..Yeah. As long as they're out of here, it's fine," he mumbled quietly, almost as if he didn't want her to hear his next few words. "I don't trust them around you." Tae Kyung sighed irritably. "Just.. Promise you'll be careful around them. Don't let your guard down."

"For you, I can do that," she replied teasingly. "Are you feeling better?"

"Barely. But I...trust you'll keep your promise," Tae Kyung mumbled. "Let's head out before it gets too suspicious."

"Agreed."

Before either of them could make a move to get up, Tae Kyung quickly cupped her chin and planted a brief and loving kiss on her lips. Her eyes went wide with surprise and she couldn't help the scarlet tint on her cheeks.

He didn't seem to mind one bit. "You made two promises to me tonight. So...don't you _dare_ forget them."

She watched him get up and make his way to the door. But he stopped, turning towards her and grinning a bit himself.

"Aren't you coming? Oh, and you might want to get that look off your face," he murmured slyly. She screamed at herself internally for still reacting in a flustered way, despite their months of dating. She wasn't sure how he could put up with her since she could barely put up with her own self.

Still, he waited for her.

As if he never planned to leave her alone.


	14. Truth or Dare?

Go Mi Nam and Tae Kyung reunited with everyone before anyone grew suspicious. Luckily, Jeremy kept Seong Jae and Jin Woo occupied with stories of Anjell's wildest adventures. He especially elaborated on the time Go Mi Nam was first introduced to the group, and where she had a little accident with Tae Kyung because she couldn't handle the alcohol.

"You'd never believe that our Go Mi Nam is weak with his liquor!" rambled Jeremy, who caught Seong Jae's immediate attention.

"Go Mi Nam, a lightweight? There's a game we could win, then. Jin Woo and I could drink for hours. Let's drink next, eh?" teased Seong Jae, elbowing Jin Woo as though he were serious.

"That's funny," Go Mi Nam quickly chimed in. "A drinking game.."

Her voice trailed off as she watched Jin Woo and Seong Jae exchange a suspicious and wicked grin with each other. "Yeah," agreed Jin Woo, dramatically rubbing his hands together as if he were an evil henchman. "Very funny. So who's up for this?"

"I _certainly_ am," Seong Jae murmured in agreement. "Let's play."

"You think you could win?" scoffed Jeremy, squeezing in between Go Mi Nam and Tae Kyung, draping his arms over their shoulders. "We beat you at the watergun fight."

Tae Kyung, with an irritation written all over his face, shoved off Jeremy's arm and moved a couple steps away. Leaving Jeremy hanging, Go Mi Nam laughed quietly into her hand. Often times, when his irritation wasn't directed at her, she would find his petty behavior comical.

"And we beat you at Blue Marble!" retorted Jin Woo, folding his arms and leaning close to Seong Jae. "We _slayed_ your team."

Shin Woo approached Jeremy from behind and placed a hand firmly on his shoulder, as if to reassure his fellow member. "Don't overwhelm yourself.. It's a game based on luck."

"Yeah!" Jeremy pointed a finger at the two members who were gloating right in front of him. "It's all based on luck! No real skill involved!"

Jin Woo, who took obvious offense at his statement, began making his way towards Jeremy; hands folded into fists. Seong Jae held his fellow friend back by the arm. "Well, ya know what? You're right! We won, 'cause we're all about luck! How do you think we made it this far? We were _lucky_ to be blessed with our skills and talents! And with our luck, we'll be number one––"

"Girls, girls," called a voice from behind Go Mi Nam.

Like Shin Woo, Tae Kyung, and Jeremy, she glanced over her shoulder and watched as Jong Min exited the same building Tae Kyung and Go Mi Nam were in previously. In his hands was the camera which she left to charge.

"We're all talented individuals here, aren't we? Stop play fighting, and let's see who the real winners are." Boldly––and fearlessly––Jong Min tossed the video camera to Dae Hwan, who seated himself on the bench. Fortunately, Dae Hwan was watching the feud between the two groups and happened to predict Jong Min's next action. The camera landed safely in his hands, where he resumed his position to record. "We still have one more activity to do tonight."

"And this will decide the winner?" responded Seong Jae, peeking over at Jong Min who approached them.

"Correct. Even Dae Hwan will participate, so it'll be an even battle." Jong Min positioned himself beside his teammates. "Same teams as before: Anjell VS Monstar."

"What activity is next..?" asked Go Mi Nam nervously.

"Truth or dare!" declared Jin Woo, grinning widely. "Except, in this game, those who don't complete their request have to take a shot!" Tae Kyung snorted, which then earned a sharp glare from Jin Woo. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing." Tae Kyung waved his hand in dismissal. "I just don't find it particularly hard to lose at that kind of game.. Truth or dare? Come on."

Jin Woo remained offended at his statement, but objected no more. Instead he turned toward his team and waved Dae Hwan over. "Then you don't mind playing. 'Cause we are definitely playing this game."

Although Go Mi Nam grew nervous, knowing her lightweight self, she still followed the members to the inside of the building. Once all of them were inside, they all sat down in a circle, while Jin Woo called Monstar's manager to drop off some drinks. On the other hand, Seong Jae searched the building for a glass bottle. He returned within a few minutes, taking his seat beside Jin Woo, who was beside Dae Hwan. Next to Dae Hwan sat Jeremy, then Shin Woo, Go Mi Nam, Tae Kyung, and lastly Jong Min. As Dae Hwan adjusted the camera on a nearby table to catch the entire game, Jin Woo raced to get the door and retrieved the alcohol as promised. Shot glasses were placed in front of each member.

"So, since we're playing truth or dare, you gotta commit to the request, no matter how crazy," confirmed Jin Woo. He held up a green bottle with clear liquid inside. "If you fail to complete said request, then you gotta take a shot of this soju. Whichever team gets drunk first is the ultimate loser!"

"The entire team has to be drunk in order to lose?" mumbled Tae Kyung, scoffing under his breath. "Sounds pretty simplistic.."

"It is pretty simple," agreed Jin Woo as he took the empty, glass bottle out of Seong Jae's hands. He placed the bottle on its side, directly in the center of their large circle. "But ya gotta have the tolerance for it.. Which, I'm not sure if any of you got."

Seong Jae snorted, with a laugh following after. "Good luck.. You're going to need it."

"I think _you'll_ need it," replied Tae Kyung, raising a single brow in question. "We're more than capable of handling our drinking."

"Well, except for Mi Nam," added in Jeremy, falling silent after receiving a sharp glare from Tae Kyung. "But Go Mi Nam is pretty crazy! He'll do anything!"

Go Mi Nam smiled nervously under the sudden spotlight, as all eyes were now focused on her; their gazes filled mostly filled with curiosity. She shied away from their gazes, turning her head away slightly and clearing her throat as she leaned closer to Tae Kyung. "Not...too crazy. I like to consider myself a moderate level of crazy.."

"Then I can't wait to give you some dares, Mi Nam," Jin Woo responded eagerly with a sly grin.

"I can't wait either.." murmured Go Mi Nam quietly, silently praying to Mother Superior that they don't dare her to do anything too insane.

The game started off with Jin Woo, who spun the bottle. Whoever the tip of the bottle pointed at would have to suffer at his hands. After spinning for a couple of seconds, the tip of the bottle pointed in Seong Jae's direction first.

"Awesome. Truth or dare, Seong Jae?" Jin Woo leaned close to his partner, elbowing him playfully as if to pressure him.

Seong Jae shoved Jin Woo's elbow away. "I'm not a wuss. I want a dare."

Clapping his hands together, Jin Woo held an evil grin. "I dare you to down an entire bottle of hot sauce!"

Bitter, Seong Jae smacked his hand against Jin Woo's head. "Idiot! You know I hate that crap."

Jin Woo rubbed the back of his head, wincing from the pain. "Watch it, you're gonna bruise me.. And yeah, course I know! Why do you think I dared you that?"

"Well, we're on the same team, remember?" retorted Seong Jae out of annoyance. "You're going to give us this loss."

"Then do us a solid, eh?" responded Jin Woo, folding his arms across his chest with a pout. "Rules are rules, teammates or not."

Seong Jae scowled in annoyance before he got up to retrieve the bottle of hot sauce. Go Mi Nam watched him, startled to see that he was willing to drink an entire bottle of something he hated––or so she assumed––just to avoid taking a shot of soju.

 _He must have low tolerance for spicy stuff._

Oddly enough, Go Mi Nam found it admirable he was willing to face his dislike for hot sauce, just to win a silly game. He returned with a bottle of hot sauce in his hands. As he sat down, he stared at the bottle for a long moment, swallowing anxiously. Jin Woo was doing his best to hold back any laughter by placing the back of his palm against his lips.

"Go on," encouraged Jin Woo before getting whacked on the side of his head again. "Owww.."

"You very well deserve it, Jin Woo," mumbled Jong Min with a smile himself. "We all have to face our fears one day, though."

"It's not a fear!" argued Seong Jae, transferring his frustrations towards his other comrade beside him. "I have a _low_ tolerance! How hard is that to understand?"

"It's not even that difficult of a dare," complained Tae Kyung, gesturing to the bottle that wasn't even full. "Quit stalling."

Jong Min ignored Tae Kyung's comment, and instead responded to Seong Jae once more; offering some wise words: "Isn't it a fact that we have to deal with obstacles every day? If you have low tolerance or don't like it, then you have to become stronger." He focused his gaze on the glass bottle lying on the floor. "It's natural to be afraid. But sometimes...we just have to do things we don't like."

Seong Jae breathed in deeply, twisting the cap off the bottle of hot sauce. "Don't think this is over, Jin Woo. Because revenge will come. I swear that to you." And without a moment's hesitation, he threw his head back and downed the hot sauce. In actuality, Seong Jae was only able to down half of the bottle before coughing and putting the hot sauce aside. He coughed into the palm of his hand and began to take in deep breaths, waving his hands in front of his now open mouth as if the oxygen would cool his burning tongue. "It burns!"  
"No shit." Jin Woo bursted out into laughter.

Despite the burning sensation on his tongue, Go Mi Nam watched in surprise as Seong Jae mustered up the strength to tackle his partner. He pinned Jin Woo to the floor, shaking him by the collar of his shirt. Jong Min intervened by pulling Seong Jae off Jin Woo and stopping him from murdering his fellow band member. Seong Jae breathed heavily into his hand, as if that would cool off his tongue.

"Yah!" Jin Woo sat up, his hair ruffled and messy. "You didn't finish! You gotta take a shot!"

"Aigo," groaned Seong Jae, rubbing his forehead as he shook his head. "You're crazy.. That's it. You're crazy!"

"Rules are rules," Jong Min added. "If you can't drink...then, well, you're done for in this game."

"Soju and hot sauce don't make a good combination!" argued Seong Jae.

"Hey, quit complaining. You heard the both of them, didn't you?" Tae Kyung interrupted. "You're out."

"Aish!" Seong Jae fell backward onto his back, in defeat, and placed the palm of his hand against his forehead. "Stupid Jin Woo.."

"Not my fault." Jin Woo stuck out his tongue at Seong Jae. "You should've been playing by the rules. I can't cheat for the sake of winning."

"So…" Go Mi Nam looked between her fellow friends. "Who's next?"

Jong Min answered for her, "Well, we were going to go clockwise, but since Seong Jae was next we will have to skip him."

"So then that means you're next, Jong Min?" asked Go Mi Nam.

He looked her directly in the eyes, smiling slightly. "That appears so. Well, let's have a go at this."

Jong Min reached over to the bottle and gave it a strong spin, which lasted a couple seconds. When the bottle's spin began slowing down, the tip was pointing at Tae Kyung, and finally stopped at Go Mi Nam's direction. A feeling of dread overcame her and she rested her face in the palm of her hands.

"Aw, Mi Nam. It's okay, Jong Min is a good person. He'll go easy on you," reassured Jin Woo while simultaneously reaching over and patting Jong Min on the back.

"So what will it be?" murmured Jong Min, folding his hands together while tilting his head curiously to the side. "Truth..or dare?"

Tae Kyung scoffed before leaning close to Go Mi Nam. "Go with truth," he whispered into her ear. However, unintentionally, Go Mi Nam pulled away from the sudden closeness between Tae Kyung and herself. She could feel her face heating up, both from the close encounter and sudden embarrassment from being so obvious in moving away from her group leader. To hide any possible coloring in her cheeks, she turned her head slightly.

"Well.." she mumbled quietly, peering over at the other members, "I suppose.." Her voice trailed off, realizing that Seong Jae was still lying down. Jin Woo, who seemed to have a short attention span, was messing around with Seong Jae, while Dae Hwan's eyes were focused on the wooden floor beneath them. Seeing them all distracted––and importantly, not paying attention to her––sent relief flooding through her. However, that feeling of relief quickly dispersed when she noticed that––the _entire_ time––Jong Min had been watching her, with his curious gaze and tilted head. While everyone else fortunately turned their attention from her, Jong Min was completely focused on her. "..I suppose truth," she finished slowly, swallowing dryly.

"Truth? Then how about you tell us who you have feelings for?" asked Jong Min.

"What?" Go Mi Nam blinked rapidly, tugging at the long sleeves on her shirt. "What do you mean?" Her heart began to beat fast, uncertain of why he would ask such a personal question, or how it even came up.

"Well, it's obvious you have feelings for someone," murmured Jong Min with a grin as he leaned forward. "I think I have a faint idea...but I just want to see if it is true."

Go Mi Nam, now blushing wildly, looked over at her fellow band members. Tae Kyung didn't seem fazed at all with this question. Rather, his gaze was focused on Jong Min. But Jeremy and Shin Woo exchanged looks of their own between each other.

"I.. I.." Go Mi Nam glanced rapidly around the room, looking for some sort of distraction to calm her down.

"Calm on Mi Nam! We're all guys here. You can trust us!" Jin Woo chimed in eagerly.

 _Mother superior… What do I do now?_


	15. Relief

**A/N: Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays everyone! Thank you for your comments and for being patient with me! I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Although his gaze was calm and focused on Jong Min, Tae Kyung's composure was a facade. His cold gaze burned into Jong Min, whose attention was focused solely on Go Mi Nam. Every couple of seconds, Jong Min's eyes looked to Tae Kyung, who remained utterly still with one knee pressed up against his chest; his arm draping across it. His other hand, however, was planted firmly on the floor; digging silently into the wood.

 _I need to remain calm. I can't let him know._

"I.. I don't know what you're talking about," she mumbled quietly, clearing her throat and looking away. "What do you mean by feelings? I don't...understand.."

Jong Min leaned closer towards her, a sly grin slipping onto his bold features. Tae Kyung stopped dragging his nails into the wooden floorboards. Instead, his fingers curled into a fist; ready to beat a certain someone's face into the ground any moment. "You know exactly what I mean. I've seen your stares.. I've seen your smiles. Whenever you're around _that someone_ , you're hit with a daze. Isn't that right?"

Go Mi Nam turned her head to Tae Kyung, chewing on her bottom lip. For half a second, their eyes met, and Tae Kyung quickly snapped his head in a different direction. _Stupid! Don't look my way… Don't give it away!_ He was now looking at Jin Woo, who was poking at a groaning Seong Jae.

He heard her sigh. "Well.. I.." she breathed out. "I don't like anyone!" she exclaimed, covering her face with both hands.

"Mi Nam's a liar!" shouted Jin Woo, snapping his head in her direction and pointing at her. "Liar, liar!"

"Lying," chimed Seong Jae in a singsong voice.

As Tae Kyung rubbed his forehead, he gave it a small shake. "How.."

Even Jeremy and Shin Woo were bewildered by the accusations. Jeremy rocked back and forth, shifting his gaze away from the group while Shin Woo rubbed his palms together.

Jong Min laughed a bit, falling back into his original sitting position. "Drink up Mi Nam."

Tae Kyung didn't hear a response from Mi Nam. Slowly, he turned his head in her direction, blinking rapidly as he noticed how her cheeks were flushed and eyes were watery. "Mi N––" his voice breathed out, before he made a mental correction, "...Nam."

"Huh? Mi Nam!" exclaimed Jin Woo as he crawled over the glass bottle towards her. "What's the matter? Why're your eyes all teary?"

Jong Min, clearly just as surprised, watched with a slightly-gaped mouth. He shook his head and rubbed his cheek. "Did I say something wrong?"

By now, Seong Jae was sitting up, frowning with furrowed brows. "Give him some space, Jin Woo. He's clearly upset."

"I..I'm okay," mumbled Mi Nam as she wiped her eyes rapidly using the hems of her sleeves. "I.."

"Is it about that girl?" pressed Jin Woo curiously.

"What..?" Go Mi Nam whispered.

 _Exactly.. What?_ Tae Kyung peered over at Go Mi Nam, Jeremy, and Shin Woo who all looked confused.

"You know," Jin Woo murmured, "He-Yi? Yoo He-Yi?"

Tae Kyung's jaw practically dropped open, but he resisted. " _What? He-Yi?_ "

"Jin Woo!" snapped Seong Jae. "Stay out of their business."

"I bet it's her," mumbled Jin Woo. "It's okay, Mi Nam. Girls are confusing. Sometimes I wonder if they're worth it.."

As Tae Kyung prepared to comment, Shin Woo interrupted everyone. "If we're honest.. Go Mi Nam has taken a liking to He-Yi. We know it's obvious, but.." He looked over at Tae Kyung before exchanging a suspicious glance with the other members of Monstar. "...It's begun to create tension between those two. You know.."

Jin Woo nodded his head rapidly. Tae Kyung was about to object against that loathsome comment when Jin Woo's loud mouth spoke up. "I thought so! Don't worry Mi Nam, she'll like a guy like you! You've got tons of charm!" He glanced suspiciously at Tae Kyung before leaning towards Mi Nam and whispering, "...More than that guy."

"Hey.." Tae Kyung spoke through grit teeth, "I can _hear_ you."

Jin Woo ignored Tae Kyung and instead patted Go Mi Nam on the back. "Don't worry. She'll recognize it sooner or later. So don't cry. And don't worry, we won't make you drink this time." After the 'pep-talk' Jin Woo crawled back beside Seong Jae in his original position. "So now it's Tae Kyung's turn!"

Tae Kyung scoffed, rolling his eyes. He reached over and spun the glass bottle, which eventually landed on Dae Hwan, whom Tae Kyung had forgotten all about. "Ah.."

 _What am I supposed to ask?_

Shrugging, Tae Kyung decided to copy the previous question given to Go Mi Nam. He turned his bored gaze over to Dae Hwan, who looked just as bored. "Then… Tell me, do you have feelings for someone?"

After the question was asked, Dae Hwan's lips curled into small frown. His eyes flickered into a different direction. Tae Kyung tilted his head slightly at the odd reaction, realizing in no time that the question was _very_ personal.

"Should I ask a different question..?" asked Tae Kyung, hardly glancing over at the other members of Monstar.

"...No," Jong Min murmured. "It's not right… We pressured Mi Nam into answering, although he was uncomfortable. It's only fair."

"I don't have feelings for anyone," Dae Hwan answered quickly.

Jin Woo peered over at his friend. "Is that the truth, Dae Hwan? You can't just lie because you want to avoid the question.."

"I don't!" snapped Dae Hwan, his voice cracking slightly. "What's so hard about that?"

Tae Kyung held up his hands, shrugging off the comment. "Listen, we believe you. If you answered truthfully, then there's no need to get upset.." Dae Hwan shot Tae Kyung a glare, shutting him up quickly. He cleared his throat, "Well.. Who's next?"

* * *

The game lasted longer than expected. With a couple hours of silly dares and tricky truths, Anjell ended up winning by chance. Jin Woo had drank himself to the point of passing out towards the end, while Dae Hwan forfeited early when dared to dump a bucket of ice-cold water on himself. Jong Min had been the only one left at that point and proved to be relentless in his desires to defeat Anjell. The only ones remaining on team Anjell––as Go Mi Nam put it––were Shin Woo and Tae Kyung, who were only a few drinks of soju in, yet remained clear-headed throughout it all.

On the other hand, Go Mi Nam could hardly stand. About two drinks of soju and she wasn't feeling like herself. In fact, she had to forfeit because Tae Kyung refused to let her take another drink.

Seong Jae smacked Jin Woo's cheeks lightly to wake him up. "Yah! We're going now.." Jin Woo's hands slapped Seong Jae directly in the face. Go Mi Nam winced at the loud ' _smack_.' Glancing over at Seong Jae, she saw the red mark on his cheek. "Moron," he grumbled, flicking Jin Woo's forehead before grabbing his wrist and yanking him up onto his feet. Jin Woo––with a surprised yell––stumbled a bit once on his feet, but received support from Seong Jae.

"Why can't you just let me sleep.." groaned Jin Woo, opening his eyes a little bit.

"Because this isn't our dormitory," retorted Seong Jae as he began to lead Jin Woo to the front door.

Jong Min also stood up, hardly fazed by the incredible amount of drinks he took. He looked to Tae Kyung and Shin Woo with a smile. "Pleasure spending time with you," he commented.

Tae Kyung crossed his arms, returning a smile. "Likewise. We should do this again sometime."

For a brief moment, Go Mi Nam observed as Tae Kyung and Jong Min stared directly at one another without further words. Then Jong Min turned to Dae Hwan, who picked up the video camera. He rushed to the door without so much a goodbye to the members of Anjell. Go Mi Nam tilted her head to the side, watching as he left right after Seong Jae and Jin Woo. Her view was suddenly blocked by Jong Min, who approached her with the same smile he gave Tae Kyung. This time, however, he held out his hand to her.

"I've also had a wonderful time meeting you, Go Mi Nam. Anjell is truly fortunate to have someone like you around," he told her as they shook hands. "Let's do it again." Reaching into his pocket, he passed her a piece of paper with numbers written across it. "Here are our numbers. Give us a call sometime, yeah?"

"Oh, uh...yeah," she replied with a firm nod. "I will!"

"Good. Sleep well, Mi Nam," he murmured before turning to leave. Once the door was shut, and the four were left alone, they all sighed in relief in unison with one another.

"Damn them," muttered Tae Kyung, brushing his fingers through his dark hair. "That stupid game.."

"It was too close," Shin Woo agreed, looking just as exasperated as everyone else.

Jeremy nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah.. I was real worried there for a while when they asked about Mi Nam's love interest. I thought she was gonna say hyung!"

"I..I wouldn't have," she argued weakly. She shrugged her shoulders. "They didn't find out in the end, so everything is okay, right?" Without a response from anyone, she turned away and yawned. "I'll be going to sleep then.." However, the second she took a step, she ended up stumbling and almost fell over.

Except she fell into the arms of Tae Kyung who rushed to her.

"You almost did," retorted Tae Kyung, helping her back onto her feet steadily. "But you're right, you didn't. I can't believe they thought that _I_ was jealous," he scoffed. "Ridiculous. He-Yi is that annoyance you can't get rid of."

Go Mi Nam smiled a little at the comment. "I think that's a little mean, hyung."

"Mean? Have you met her?" His comment earned a small laugh from Mi Nam. "Here, I'll help you to your room.." Tae Kyung turned to Shin Woo and Jeremy, who watched with humor themselves. "Night."

"Good night, hyung!" called Jeremy, waving his hand rapidly. "Good night, Mi Nyu!"

Go Mi Nam, leaning against Tae Kyung for support, walked with him to her room, which felt like a long journey in itself. Every couple of steps she would stumble over an invisible rock, but Tae Kyung would catch her stumble and push her onwards until they reached her room. At their arrival, he opened the door and helped her into her bed, where she rolled onto her side, with her back facing him; yawning once more.

"Thanks, hyung.."

"You keep calling me hyung," he mumbled.

She peeked over her shoulder lazily at him, watching him as he took a seat on the floor of her room. "Force of habit," she explained, closing her eyes and rolling onto her other side to face him. "When you get into the act for so long, it just feels…"

"Natural?" he pressed.

"Yes," she murmured.

"You don't need to put on an act behind closed doors," he replied.

"And you don't need to question everything I do," she retorted, laughing quietly. "Every decision I make, every word I speak, it seems you have something to say." She paused. "You criticize me a lot."

Tae Kyung fell silent briefly. "Maybe it's because you mean a lot to me. If I didn't care about you, I wouldn't put an effort to criticize you, now would I?"

She began to doze off, but the alcohol spoke for her. "You're important to me too. Why else would I go through this? I say it's for my brother, but…" she whispered, "I think this is just a way to spend more time with you."

If Tae Kyung said anything else, Go Mi Nyu wouldn't know. At this point, the alcohol had brought her into a world of darkness.

And peace.


	16. Arguments

"Wow, hyung! Come on, take a look!"

Jeremy's loud voice startled Go Mi Nam temporarily as she was munching on the cereal right in front of her. Beside her sat Tae Kyung, who was drinking from a water bottle quietly. He swallowed the liquid and closed the lid on the water bottle, rolling his eyes visibly.

"What is it?" he mumbled. "If it's a video of people doing something stupid, I'm not interested…"

"Don't be that way, Tae Kyung," murmured Go Mi Nam, pouting over at him. "You're technically one of those people.." Tae Kyung shot a brief glare at her, making her realize she worded her statement terribly and lacked a proper explanation behind it. "W-wait.. I meant that…" She put her hands up, indicating she needed a moment. After a couple seconds, she finally found a way to explain her insulting statement. "You know how I was a nun, right..? Well, people who attended church usually looked down on music like Anjell's. And to them, what we do is stupid.."

Tae Kyung stared blankly at her in silence.

"...I didn't make this situation any better, did I?" she mumbled quietly, averting her gaze back to her bowl of half-eaten cereal.

"No," he replied, flicking the side of her head. "You're one of us, you do realize that?"

"Yeah," she mumbled, shoving a spoon of cereal into her mouth. "I realize.."

Jeremy intervened in their conversation and plopped down beside Tae Kyung. "For real, hyung! Look! It's _us_!" He shoved his phone in front of Tae Kyung, who reluctantly plugged in the earphones given to him and watched the video with irritation on his features.

Go Mi Nam hoped that the video was funny enough to relieve Tae Kyung of his annoyance––which proved to be extremely difficult. His humor often differed greatly from the rest of Anjell who had similar tastes for the most part. As Go Mi Nam watched, stirring her spoon in the bowl of milk, she noticed that Tae Kyung was not being relieved at all. Instead, his features tensed visibly, indicating further irritation and possibly stress––though she wasn't quite sure. Finally, as the video ended and Tae Kyung removed the earphones, he exhaled loudly, folding his arms across his chest with lips curved downwards into a frown.

"Tae Kyung..?" she murmured quietly, peering over at him.

"Idiots," he finally uttered, closing his eyes briefly.

"Who..?" pressed Go Mi Nam.

"Monstar," he responded, glancing over at her. "I'm impressed. And also frustrated."

"You? Impressed?" Go Mi Nam's mouth gaped open. "How are you both frustrated _and_ impressed?"

"You're asking a lot of questions," Tae Kyung said, turning to her in his seat. "Watch it for yourself."

Go Mi Nam puffed out her cheeks, rolling her eyes. "Wow, you're in a bad mood." She brushed aside Tae Kyung's comment and patted the seat on the other side of her. "Jeremy, come here and let me see."

Jeremy––like an obedient puppy––obeyed and seated himself beside her. He passed her the earphones, which she plugged into her ears, and then the phone. She tapped the play button and watched the video that both "impressed and frustrated" the man she claimed to love. At the beginning of the video played an intro with unfamiliar music in the background and flashed the cheesy title "Monstrous Pranking." It didn't take long for Go Mi Nam to realize that the video was from Monstar and that the video was from the day spent with Anjell. However, as she watched with a heavy heart, nervous about the secrets that may have been revealed, she realized that the video wasn't true to her memory. The fights; the arguments; the heavy, deep-rooted rivalry that existed; all of it wasn't present in the video. In fact, the tense rivalry between Anjell and Monstar appeared more friendly in the video produced rather than the reality.

It looked more like a friendly competition between two music groups that got along _very_ well.

"What.." Go Mi Nam's voice trailed off, and she slowly unplugged the earphones after watching the twenty minute video.

"Amazing, isn't it?" asked Jeremy, taking his phone back.

"Amazingly stupid," mumbled Tae Kyung. "They just produced a video of lies."

Go Mi Nam glanced over at Tae Kyung. "Isn't that the reality?"

"What?" Tae Kyung stared at her.

"Well, I mean...some of an idol's life is surrounded by lies, isn't it?" she asked, genuinely curious of the answer.

Tae Kyung fell silent for a moment, clearing his throat. "Lies aren't restricted to the lives of idols only. Who's life is really based on the mere truth?"

"I guess that's a good point. But this video will protect Anjell's reputation," she murmured, smiling slightly. "Isn't that what we were aiming for?"

"Well, yeah," mumbled Tae Kyung. "To keep anyone from really taking notice of you. We are trying to keep you out of the spotlight until your brother recovers."

"Then why were you frustrated with the video?" she questioned.

Jeremy listened to the discussion between Tae Kyung and Go Mi Nam in silence.

"Well.. That's.." Tae Kyung appeared to be struggling with finding the words to his answer. Finally he sighed, "Because we weren't given a chance to view the final product. I was impressed because they ended up making this entire lie believable. Their editing skills are…"

"...Out of this world?" suggested Jeremy with a tiny smile.

"...Something along those lines. But it's frustrating that they went ahead and revealed the video to the public without asking us or even showing us the final product," Tae Kyung explained, turning away from Go Mi Nam. He opened his water bottle and took a long drink from it; resting his curled up fist on the counter. "What if they had something revealing in there? We would be ruined."

"But Anjell's not ruined," interrupted Go Mi Nam, leaning closer to Tae Kyung and draping her smaller hand across his fist. "Everything is fine, isn't it? It was successful!" She attempted to appear enthusiastic. "You don't need to worry any longer."

Tae Kyung focused his gaze onto her, glancing briefly at their hands which had begun to intertwine. "...I suppose. You shouldn't be too carefree, though."

"Again with the criticizing?" she scoffed, feeling a vibration in her pocket. With her other, available hand, she pulled out her phone and placed it on the counter where she examined the notifications.

 _ **Jong Min**_ _: Go Mi Nam_

 _ **Jong Min**_ _: Are you available today?_

 _ **Jong Min**_ _: I would like to see you._

After glimpsing at her notifications, she shifted her gaze back over to Tae Kyung who took notice of her change in attention. His expression––though now unreadable––flashed with discontent briefly.

"You're still in contact with them?" he asked in disbelief. "I thought we were done with them."

"Well...we exchanged contact information," explained Go Mi Nam quickly, "They're nice people, Tae Kyung."

"They're using you, _Mi Nyu_ ," he replied just as quick. "They're hardly your friends. I wouldn't trust them."

"You don't know that," she objected. "And not that long ago you didn't trust me, hyung.."

The moment she issued that retort she regretted her words. But it was too late to take them back. Tae Kyung's hand––whose fingers had been intertwined tightly with hers––released its grip on her and pulled away off the counter.

"Right," he muttered, turning his gaze away from her. "Then be careful. I don't want to sit through another couple of hours with... _them_."

"I.." She glanced over at Jeremy who quickly looked away. Finally, she bowed her head. "I understand. I'll be careful this time, I promise." She looked back to her phone and began to type a message in response to Jong Min's text.

 _ **You**_ : _I'm available today._

 _ **Jong Min**_ _: Good. We will pick you up in an hour. Be ready._

* * *

She left before he could apologize. Well, he was considering an apology and meant to do so before she went off on her way. But _they_ didn't exactly leave him much time to prepare a good, genuine apology for his outburst and terrible behavior earlier that morning. After she left with only a 'goodbye,' Tae Kyung seated himself on the couch with arms folded and a glare that could cut people out of view with so much as a glance.

"So, hyung," began Jeremy who sat on the floor. "You let her go?"

"Who am I to stop her?" he retorted with a small scoff. "It's her decision to befriend people who could care less about her well being."

"Isn't that being a little unfair?" questioned Shin Woo who heard about the conflict soon after she left. "I doubt that they don't care about her."

"What? You want to become their best friend too?" challenged Tae Kyung, eyeing Shin Woo who leaned against the wall. "Go ahead. No one's stopping you either."

"Don't get me wrong," explained Shin Woo coolly, "I'm not particularly interested in befriending them as she has. But they have good intentions, I'm sure. And Mi Nyu has given up her life to protect Anjell and her brother's dream. We should let her live the way she wants as Go Mi Nam. After spending a day with them, I can tell they do care about her."

"I don't believe it." Tae Kyung leaned further into the cushion of the couch. "I don't see it, either."

"You're being biased," accused Jeremy.

"I'm not being biased," replied Tae Kyung.

"Yes you are."

" _No, I'm not_."

"Does that matter?" interrupted Shin Woo, catching both Jeremy's and Tae Kyung's attention. "Jeremy, we're all biased. We would be lying if we said we weren't. And Tae Kyung, you are biased, but so am I, and so is Jeremy. But none of us can dictate the life she lives. If we want her to return to us, we have to accept her decisions."

"I still think she should drop all contact with them," responded Tae Kyung, stubbornly.

"Why?" Shin Woo asked suddenly. "Why do you feel that she should drop them? And don't use the excuse that she'll spill a secret, because there have been dozens of risks she's taken for us and there will be more."

"I.." began Tae Kyung, searching for the answer in his mind. But he wasn't certain why. All he knew was that every second she spent beside Monstar–– _especially Jong Min_ ––his stomach turned and his heart felt heavy. He dreaded every second she looked into Jong Min's eyes; every moment he helped her out of troubles. Jong Min was able to protect her several times.

And Tae Kyung?

None.

"I just don't trust them," lied Tae Kyung, clearing his throat. "Forget it. I think we can all agree that she can make her own decisions."

"And that we want her to be happy!" agreed Jeremy.

"Yeah," mumbled Tae Kyung. _That too._


	17. Hopeless

Go Mi Nam was picked up by the group of four. Seong Jae sat up front in the driver's seat, acting as their chauffeur, while Dae Hwan sat beside him in the passenger seat. Dae Hwan remained silent during the trip, which Go Mi Nam expected of him. It seemed as though every encounter he was always the quiet one. Sitting directly behind Seong Jae, Go Mi Nam glanced over at Jin Woo who sat in between her and Jong Min, singing along to the radio that blared some of the most popular songs out in their country. Most of the songs Go Mi Nam couldn't recognize, but despite that, they were undeniably good songs. At times, Seong Jae would also chime in, mostly during the ridiculously fast rapping that often occurred in many songs.

An aspect of current music that Anjell did not follow. Their songs were all vocals with zero rapping.

"So," began Go Mi Nam curiously, peering over at Jin Woo. "Where are we going?"

"Well, we haven't really planned anything out yet," admitted Jin Woo with a tiny, innocent smile. "But I was thinking maybe we could all have lunch first and then hang back at our place for a bit. Just chill, you know?"

"Sounds good––" began Go Mi Nam when Seong Jae snorted; interrupting her.

"Sounds _lame_ ," mumbled Seong Jae, eyes focused on the road in front of him. "I almost feel bad for dragging Go Mi Nam along.."

"Did anyone ask for your _lame_ opinion?" retorted Jin Woo, glaring at Seong Jae while crossing his arms. "Think of something better if it's too lame for you."

"I say we go grab a couple of drinks," replied Seong Jae with a sly grin. "Now that's a way to have fun."

"Not everything revolves around drinking," commented Jin Woo, yawning. "Sounds boring, if anything. Besides, Mi Nam isn't good at holding his liquor."

"Ah, Tae Kyung hyung will kill me if I drink.." confessed Go Mi Nam with an unpleasant smile on her lips. "He wasn't happy about me coming along to begin with.."

"Why's that?" Jong Min questioned, peering over Jin Woo to Go Mi Nam. "He seems hung up over us hanging out. Does he not like us?"

"It's not that," explained Go Mi Nam, shaking her head. "He has trust issues. He's worried about me, is all.."

Jin Woo laughed, wrapping his arm around her playfully. "Worried about what? You're hardly a child, Mi Nam! For real though, we're not gonna hurt you."

"I know," murmured Mi Nam with a small smile. "I just wish he would realize that."

After her comment, the upbeat song that was playing during their conversation had ended. Jin Woo sighed, throwing his head back against the cushioning of the car seat. "Aww, I liked that song.. You know, Imagine is a great group. They're climbing the ladder, but I think they're underrated."

"Imagine?" repeated Go Mi Nam as an advertisement began to play on the radio. "Who're they?"

Jin Woo's jaw dropped open and Jong Min coughed. "Whaat? You don't know _Imagine_? They're pretty popular!" exclaimed Jin Woo.

"Where've you been living?" Dae Hwan commented at last, not bothering to look over at her. "Under a rock?"

Jong Min agreed, "Dae Hwan has a point.. For someone in a top group, you don't know much about the music industry. They're your juniors."

"Sorry," mumbled Go Mi Nam, embarrassed by her failure to recognize a popular group. "I don't pay attention to much.."

 _I'm not into the music industry._

"You should start paying attention," commented Jong Min. "These guys are changing the music industry."

"I'll try."

A few seconds following after their conversation, another song began to play on the radio. However, it was a little different from the other songs they had been listening to. Rather than being unbeat, the song that began to play was slow with heavy piano instrumental. Go Mi Nam leaned forward in her seat, blinking slowly as she listened to the song in silence. Following after the lovely intro, a female's voice––gentle and low––sang along to the instrumental. Her words dripped with sorrow as she sang about what appeared to be a lost love.

" _It's all hopeless._

 _Who we were is just a dream,_

 _lost to the lies of our pain._

 _My heart longs to see you again._

 _Where have you disappeared,_

 _love of my dreams?_

 _Hold me tight, whisper my name._

 _Why did our love disappear with the wind?_

 _Wish to mend the shattered pieces of the love_

 _we lost control of long ago.."_

Her voice was mesmerizing. And when her soft voice switched to a higher pitch during the chorus, Go Mi Nam could have sworn her voice was truly _beautiful_. A woman of talent, yet she knew nothing about her. A minute into the song, and suddenly Dae Hwan switched the station.

"Wait!" objected Go Mi Nam, staring wide eyed at Dae Hwan. "I was listening to that! It's beautiful.."

"I don't want to listen to garbage!" snapped Dae Hwan, glancing over at her and shooting a brief glare. "Her music is crap."

Go Mi Nam fell speechless at his harsh words, blinking slowly as she leaned back into the car cushion. Seong Jae cleared his throat at the awkward silence that now surrounded them. "This song is a little cliche," Seong Jae commented. "Nothing original. I think she used to be a very talented artist, but...somewhere along the way she lost sight of herself."

"Who is she?" asked Go Mi Nam.

"I'm not even surprised this time," joked Jin Woo. "It was Rose. As a solo artist, she is pretty high up there in the charts."

"Rose?" repeated Go Mi Nam, nodding her head slowly. "I thought her song was nice.."

"You need to listen to more music," Dae Hwan muttered.

 _Maybe I do. If I'm going to play my brother, I can't remain uneducated about the music industry._

* * *

"So what are we doing out here exactly?" asked Jeremy, examining items on a shelf in the store. He wore a cap and sunglasses to disguise himself from the public, although Tae Kyung found the disguise weak.

"You couldn't have worn anything better?" mumbled Tae Kyung, strolling past Jeremy.

"Excuse me?" Jeremy snorted, pointing at Tae Kyung accusingly. "I have a better disguise than you! All you're wearing is a hoodie!"

"And shades too," added Shin Woo, following behind Tae Kyung.

"You're no better," mumbled Tae Kyung, glancing over his shoulder at Shin Woo. Rather than wearing shades like Jeremy and Tae Kyung, he wore regular glasses with a fedora. All of them didn't look completely convincing, but it seemed as though their disguises were working as no one had yet noticed them.

Shin Woo shrugged off Tae Kyung's comment. "Aside from none of us looking very well disguised, _why_ are we here? What are we shopping for that Manager Ma couldn't pick up?"

"I was just thinking that maybe we should get something for.." Tae Kyung cleared his throat as he strolled down the aisles. "...Go Mi Nyu."

"Ooh, Tae Kyung is feeling romantic!" Jeremy teased, lunging at his friend and patting his back. "It's about time you appreciate our Go Mi Nyu."

" _Our?_ " repeated Tae Kyung, brushing off Jeremy's hand from his shoulder. "None of you are dating her. She isn't anyone's."

"Tae Kyung has a point," Shin Woo agreed, walking beside Tae Kyung. "But what exactly are you looking for? Do you have anything in mind?"

"..No." Tae Kyung averted his gaze from Shin Woo's. "I'm just browsing."

"Don't worry, hyung!" Jeremy commented enthusiastically. "We'll help you pick out the perfect gift for Mi Nyu!"

"I don't need help," retorted Tae Kyung as he strolled directly into the electronics aisle. As he browsed the DVD's, CD's, and other electronic devices, he slowed to a stop at the end of the aisle, peering up at the large television screens on display. All of them were playing a music video of a brown-haired, female artist. As he observed the music video, he watched as she strolled through a field of roses; wearing a floral patterned dress with various shades of pink, red, and white. Her brown hair only reached a couple inches past her shoulders as a strong gust of wind blew at her brunette strands.

" _Why did our love disappear with the wind?_

 _Wish to mend the shattered pieces of the love_

 _we lost control of long ago._

 _It's become hopeless._

 _The past that sheds tears,_

 _the loneliness_

 _I feel when I look at you._

 _The loneliness_

 _I feel when I see you_

 _smile without me by your side._

 _Why does forgiveness hurt,_

 _why am I in pain when your eyes_

 _look past me?_

 _It's all hopeless_ ––

 _this warm love we once shared."_

"Isn't that Rose?" murmured Shin Woo as he approached Tae Kyung from behind. "This song has been playing nonstop on the radio."

"She's been gaining popularity for a while now," added Jeremy. "She's got visual and talent. Everyone loves her."

"Not everyone," mumbled Tae Kyung. "But she definitely has risen in ranks."

"It's impressive!" chimed in Jeremy.

While Shin Woo and Jeremy discussed the popular artist, Tae Kyung strolled into the next aisle where magazines were on display. Although Tae Kyung wasn't interested in the reportings of idols and artists, a certain headline caught his immediate attention. He stopped in front of a magazine run by BaJi News, with a headline that concerned him.

" _Famous Anjell singer Go Mi Nam has amnesia?"_

Tae Kyung's blood ran cold as he stared at the magazine, frozen in spot. His blood then began to boil at the person responsible for the article.

"Park Seo Yeon.. That idiot!"


	18. Somber Tears

Instead of going to a restaurant for lunch, Monstar brought Go Mi Nam back to their dormitory where they ordered food from a restaurant. With plates scattered across the table near the couch, all of them took a piece of chicken; the idea of chicken for lunch being Jin Woo's. Go Mi Nam waited until everyone else grabbed a piece first before hesitantly grabbing some chicken for herself. She was nervous in their presence, mainly due to the fact that her identity was almost revealed once before. When she was alone with the four members, she was worried she would trip up in front of them, and there would be no one to save her from that inevitable mistake.

"What's the matter, Mi Nam? Not hungry?" questioned Jin Woo, peering over at her.

She shook her head, rubbing her hands together. "It's not that.. I just feel bad."

"Feel bad?" Seong Jae questioned, tilting his head to the side. "What about?"

"Well.." _Where do I start?_ Go Mi Nam was always racked up with guilt. Guilt for lying, for misleading the world, for not trying hard enough to protect the identity of this supposed 'Go Mi Nam.' But she couldn't say any of that. She would destroy the lives of those she cherished if she did. "I just feel bad for not appreciating my juniors appropriately. They work hard to be like me––like Anjell––and I can't bother to learn about their hard work."

"Aw, Mi Nam.. Don't beat yourself up over it. We didn't mean to make you feel bad," commented Jin Woo, playfully nudging her shoulder. "We just want you to recognize the talents of those around you. We were the same, you know."

"Long time ago," added Jong Min, wiping his hands on a napkin. "We we struggling to make it to the top. We were considered underrated, because we couldn't compete with Anjell." Jong Min leaned back into the cushion of the couch the five of them sat at. "Those were rough days.."

"I'm sure you understand well, Mi Nam, how rough training days are," murmured Seong Jae, drinking from his cup of water. "The hours we put in, the work just to debut. Only to make the minimal, and hardly receive recognition." He smiled over at her, sighing lightly. "It's not about the recognition, but the competition out there is tough."

"I.. I see.." mumbled Go Mi Nam, the guilt building up continuously.

Jin Woo scoffed. "C'mon guys, stop burdening Mi Nam with that stuff. He came for a good time." Jin Woo turned to look at her, grinning. "Don't worry about it. Every generation of idols go through it. We're not the only ones."

"Right.." Go Mi Nam, having lost all appetite, avoided Jin Woo's gaze. "It's good that you all are doing well now, though."

"Well, some of us are doing better than others, but...that's all that matters, right?" replied Jin Woo, biting into his piece of chicken.

Go Mi Nam blinked slowly at that response. _Some of us?_ She couldn't understand what he was suggesting, but Dae Hwan at this point of the conversation finished his lunch first. After drinking the rest of his water, he stood up from the couch and exited out of the room and to the dormitory patio.

"Is.. Is Dae Hwan okay?" asked Go Mi Nam, peering over at the other members who had watched him leave; all sitting in complete silence. "I may not know him that well, but...he always seems to have something on his mind."

"Well, you're not wrong to assume that," murmured Seong Jae, stacking his now-empty plate on top of Dae Hwan's. "He's not in a good place at the moment."

"Why's that?" Go Mi Nam asked, tilting her head.

All three members of Monstar looked away, remaining quiet, as if she asked a question that wasn't meant to be answered. But Jin Woo spoke up, "Dae Hwan has been entangled in a scandal, I guess you can say."

"A scandal..?" murmured Go Mi Nam, nodding her head slowly. "I'm sorry to hear.." She knew how rough a scandal could be. Her disguise as Go Mi Nam––her brother––was a scandal waiting to happen. Any misstep, and Anjell would drown amidst the scandals that would pop up everywhere.

"It's nothing to be sorry about. Dae Hwan is a wrongful victim, but at this rate, the damage has been done," Seong Jae mumbled, shaking his head. "That's why we say pay him no mind. He's still suffering the consequences of the scandal."

"It's unfair. Can't the truth be revealed if it was false?" asked Go Mi Nam.

"It's not that easy," replied Seong Jae. "Because the reporter hasn't revealed the truth. Not to mention, she has evidence from a witness. Who are the people going to believe? He's tried fixing the situation, but it hasn't done anything for him."

"So unfair," repeated Go Mi Nam, peering out at the patio. "Who was the reporter?"

"Park Seo Yeon."

The name rang a bell. The name was familiar at best.

' _Park Seo Yeon… She's as bad as that National Annoyance.'_

Tae Kyung's words rang inside her mind, the day she was caught sneaking back into her own home along with Monstar. _So that's who she was. A scandal-maker?_

Go Mi Nam decided not to say anything further on the matter, but couldn't help in glancing out the glass doors to where Dae Hwan sat all by himself on a bench. She couldn't imagine the suffering he was put through because of a single lie.

Seong Jae, Jong Min, and Jin Woo engaged in conversation, occasionally inviting Go Mi Nam to join in the topic of discussion. And despite engaging in the discussion at hand, she kept looking over at Dae Hwan, who sat all alone on the patio for a couple hours on end.

"So Mi Nam, what's it like, being loved by the National Fairy?" questioned Jin Woo suddenly.

"The National Fairy?" Go Mi Nam frowned a bit at the mention of her. "It's...a new kind of experience." At least that much was true.

"That's all? You've won the her heart and that's all you got to say about it?" Jin Woo was surprised. "Aren't you two, like, a thing?"

 _I don't know._

She didn't know anything about her brother's relationship with He-Yi, if one existed at all. But then, that would explain He-Yi's response to Go Mi Nam at the interview. The tears, the lean in for a kiss; were these all signs of a relationship between the two?

"At this point," murmured Go Mi Nam, averting her gaze, "I don't know what we are. It's confusing."

"Stop harassing Go Mi Nam," mumbled Seong Jae, elbowing Jin Woo. "It's none of our business."

"I'm just curious. How does one maintain a relationship in the music industry?" murmured Jin Woo, glancing through the glass doors that lead to the patio. "It feels impossible."

 _It does._

"Don't worry about it, Mi Nam," murmured Jong Min, peering over at her. "You have our support, for whatever relationship you choose to pursue. But it feels like your friends don't agree."

"My friends?" she repeated, blinking slowly.

"Tae Kyung, Shin Woo, Jeremy," Jong Min responded. "They don't like her, right?"

"Well.." Go Mi Nam couldn't exactly argue against that. It was true that they all weren't fond of her, considering her actions and words. "There's just some personal problems.."

"Sounds like jealousy," teased Jin Woo before getting smacked upside the head by Seong Jae. "Owww.."

Jong Min shrugged. "Friends should be supportive, no matter what."

Go Mi Nam was ready to reply to Jong Min's comment when suddenly a loud ringing interrupted her thoughts. Jin Woo, smiling innocently, checked his phone that was ringing loudly and obnoxiously. He answered it quickly, turning his head away and focusing on the voice on the other line.

"Yes, we're here.. Yeah––we got time." There was a small pause from Jin Woo. "Now?" Another small pause as he listened in silence. "Sure, sure. We'll be there." He hung up after ending the conversation, sliding his phone back into his pocket. "Sorry, Mi Nam. Duty calls, and we have some business to tend to. Will you be okay getting home on your own?"

Go Mi Nam nodded her head, a little disappointed that their time together had to end so soon. But regardless, she smiled with reassurance. "Don't worry, Jin Woo. I'll be fine. Take care of whatever you need to."

Jong Min, confused, eye Jin Woo curiously. "What exactly do we need to do?"

"The usual. I'm sure Mi Nam understands. The life of an idol is not easy!" With a grin, Jin Woo pushed himself off the couch and stretched his arms. "We'll talk again soon."

Go Mi Nam stood simultaneously with Seong Jae and Jong Min. Seong Jae patted her on the shoulder, pulling on his jacket afterward. "Next time, we'll do what you want, Mi Nam."

Jin Woo ruffled her hair, smiling while Jong Min gave a small wave. "Catch you later," called Jong Min, following Seong Jae out the front door. Jin Woo was the last to leave, closing the door shut on his way out. Left all alone, Go Mi Nam glanced around the room, noticing the trash piled on the table from their lunch. Feeling as though the least she could do was help clean the mess, she stacked the plates on top of one another and carried them to the kitchen, dumping them carefully in the sink. She returned to the main room, to gather up the bag of garbage and dumped it in the kitchen garbage. As she returned to the main room to grab her sweater, she noticed her phone on the couch with the screen lit up by a notification. She examined the notification that had been sent out twenty-minutes ago.

 _ **Hyung**_ _: We need to talk now. Where are you?_

She was ready to reply to his message when thunder echoed in the sky. Rain poured down against the glass windows and patio doors. She reached for her phone, when her eyes caught sight of something outside.

 _Dae Hwan!_

Go Mi Nam, with her phone in her hand now, snatched her jacket off the couch and raced out onto the patio, into the pouring rain. She ran to Dae Hwan, her phone slipping from her grasp and sliding across the wooden floor. Instead of running to retrieve it, she held her jacket over her head to shield herself from the rain, and once she finally reached Dae Hwan––who sat in a zombie like state––she seated herself behind him on the bench, with her jacket now over both their heads.

"Dae Hwan, you shouldn't be out here!" Go Mi Nam exclaimed, watching as her cell phone drowned in the pouring rain. It would definitely be dead by the time she got to it. But her concern was more so directed to Dae Hwan, who was soaked after a couple seconds underneath the somber sky. When she didn't get an answer, she looked over at him. "Dae Hwan..?"

Droplets slid down his cheeks as he stared blankly ahead of him. One would assume those droplets were from the rain, but Dae Hwan's eyes revealed a different reality. A reality that Go Mi Nam wasn't aware of. The secrets behind those dark, solemn eyes were now spilling out, all before her eyes.

"Dae Hwan, what's wrong?" Go Mi Nam ignored the pounding rain for a couple seconds. Despite only knowing him for a brief time, he appeared to be in a state of despair, as he seemed out of focus with what was going on around him. Finally, his gaze shifted over to Go Mi Nam and focused on her. His eyes were red and his lips curved downwards, into a permanent, sorrowful frown.

"...What _isn't_ wrong?" he breathed out, placing both hands against his face as he shook his head. "Everything is wrong."

* * *

"She isn't picking up," scowled Tae Kyung, shoving his phone into his pocket. The three of them had left the store earlier, hoping that Go Mi Nyu would also be on her way home. But when she didn't show up for some time, Tae Kyung lost his patience and decided to spam her with texts, then eventually phone calls. "Her phone must have died.. That idiot, I tell her to charge it every night so that this doesn't happen."

"But she did charge it," murmured Jeremy, who sat on the couch while he watched Tae Kyung pace around the room erratically. "She even charged her phone this morning."

"That's strange," intervened Shin Woo, glancing over at Jeremy. "You're right. She did charge her phone this morning. And she hardly uses it, unless necessary.."

Tae Kyung stopped pacing around the room and spun around to face the other two members. "Then why is her phone _dead_? Is there really an explanation for that?"

There was silence between the three of them, as if none of them could explain it. The thunder interrupted the long silence, and Tae Kyung headed to the front door. On his way to the door, he grabbed his jacket, put it on and pulled on his hood just as he was interrupted by Shin Woo.

"Tae Kyung, where are you going?" called Shin Woo, getting up from the couch as well and preparing to follow him.

"Stay put," replied Tae Kyung, opening the door. "I'm going to go get Mi Nyu. Keep calling her in case she answers, or at least be here if she decides to come home on her own."

Without waiting for an answer, Tae Kyung slammed the door shut as he left, rushing to his car and hopping inside. His worries for her would never cease, as he learned the hard way.


	19. Scandals

After a while, Go Mi Nam finally managed to get Dae Hwan inside to dry off. While she went to sit on the couch, he left for his room. Moments later, he returned in a dry, plain shirt, and pair of jeans with a towel draped over his shoulders and one in his hands. He looked her way briefly before finally speaking up after their confrontation in the rain.

"You're still here?" he asked, averting his gaze once more from her.

Go Mi Nam looked up at him, smiling slightly. "Should I have left…? I was just...a little worried, I guess. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

 _But why should I care, right?_

She expected that as a response from him. Instead, Dae Hwan sat on the other side of the couch; close, yet distant. Still, to Go Mi Nam, it felt like progress. "Thank you, Go Mi Nam. For snapping me to my senses. I would have been soaking wet if it weren't for you." He was showing her gratitude, that she probably didn't even deserve. Still, she smiled faintly, clasping her wet hands together. Then he handed her the towel he was holding onto. "Here. The least I could do."

"Ah.." Go Mi Nam took the towel, nodding her head in gratitude. "Thank you, Dae Hwan." She meant it.

She began drying pieces of her short hair, when she began to realize that her hair was growing long again. Not long enough to seem suspicious, and although she was trying to grow her hair out, she knew she would have to chop it all off again; for the sake of her brother, for Anjell. The sacrifices she made were so little, but were part of a much bigger deal to her. Every time she saw beautiful women walking down the street, with their long hair styled, she couldn't help but envy the lives they lived. She wanted to live a life like that, where she could look _pretty_ once in a while. But being disguised as a boy, that seemed impossible. And it would remain impossible, for some time.

But now was not the time to be worrying over beauty or fashion. Her concern was still focused on Dae Hwan, who still seemed to be in a daze. He sighed heavily to himself, rubbing his forehead.

"Um, Dae Hwan.." she began. She caught his attention easily, as he looked her way almost instantly. She was nervous under his gaze, so she looked away quickly before continuing on. "Why were you outside? This might be a personal question, but I feel that sometimes it's best to talk about things before feeling better."

"Talk about things? What good will that be?" he retorted, shaking his head. He combed his fingers through his partially-soaked, blond hair. "..I'm sure you're already well aware of my situation."

"You mean the scandal? I don't know much of it, but I did hear from your colleagues.."

"Please––everyone knows it. It's no secret," Dae Hwan replied when he looked her way once more. She bit the bottom of her lip, scratching the side of her head as she tried to think of what he was talking about. _My cover might be blown.._ At least, it felt like it would be blown because she was so out of place in their world. She knew nothing, compared to what her brother _actually_ knew. "You...really don't know?" He leaned back into the cushion of the couch, shaking his head. "Well, there's no hiding it then. Do you know...Rose?"

"Rose?" she repeated, recalling the song earlier that day. "Ah! The singer with the pretty voice.."

"Yeah," he agreed, a sad smile now playing on his lips. "That's her alright. Rose, with the pretty voice. Beautiful, I would've argued at one point.."

Curious now, Go Mi Nam scooted a little closer to Dae Hwa to close the distance; at the same time, crossing boundaries between them. "I imagine she is. What about her?"

"She betrayed me," replied Dae Hwan, exhaling heavily. "Though, rumors say I'm the one who betrayed her. Funny how that works, isn't it? The lie is believed over the truth."

"How did she betray you?" pressed Mi Nam, leaning closer.

Dae Hwan stared blankly at her. "..You really don't know anything, do you?" When she shook her head, Dae Hwan turned his head away from her and stared outside the patio; watching rain fall endlessly. "She told BaJi News that I cheated on her."

"But...that wasn't the case, right?" replied Mi Nam.

"No. That was far from the truth. I never cheated on her, so I don't know where she got that idea from. I assume it was just malicious intent to destroy my career, which she basically did. People don't take kindly to cheating, and most of my fanbase has turned against me. My career has disintegrated, meanwhile hers has blossomed," murmured Dae Hwan, covering his face with both hands now; groaning. "...The scandal is still relatively recent. It's only been a year, and people aren't forgiving. But I have no way of proving myself innocent."

"That's...awful," whispered Mi Nam, lowering her gaze. "Why would she do that to you..?"

"Because she wants to trim the competition. Obviously my scandal has impacted Monstar as a result. But if I'm honest, all common sense aside, I still don't get it.. I don't get why she did this to me. She was everything to me.. And she goes and stabs me in the back."

Go Mi Nam rested her hand on his shoulder, as if to reassure him. "But you know the truth, don't you? You can still put up a fight, Dae Hwan! If you keep making music and rise up again, you can fight against the scandal...right?"

"I don't know if I can," he replied, exhaling shakily. "Really, I don't.. You might not understand, because you've never been in a scandal like this. But when everyone turns against you...those who've supported you begin to doubt you; the people you wanted to make happy by creating music––when they all turn against you, it's hard…"

"I can't imagine.." murmured Go Mi Nam. "But you're not famous for nothing, Dae Hwan! I believe in you."

"You don't even know our music all that well," replied Dae Hwan, shrugging off her hand. "I'm talentless. I can't sing, I can't write good music. My own solo album was cancelled because _no one wanted to hear me._ What else am I supposed to believe? I'm only famous _because_ of Monstar. A part of me thinks that they would be fine without me––"

"Don't think like that!" Go Mi Nam looked him in the eye, nodding her head in determination. "I might not know much about Monstar, but all of you are equally needed for this group to be complete!"

"How do you know?" Dae Hwan scoffed, turning his head away from her. "Let's just...drop it. It's a pointless argument."

"I know because I can prove it," murmured Go Mi Nam. She finally caught his attention at her last statement. In an attempt to reassure him, she smiled. To her convenience, there was a notepad and pen on the table, which she grabbed. The first page was littered with phrases and crossed out lines, in illegible writing. She assumed such was for writing song lyrics. But she flipped the notepad to an empty page, writing down an address. "Here," she said, ripping off the page and passing it to Dae Hwa, who eyed her curiously. "Let's meet here tomorrow. Be sure to come in your best disguise, and I will too!"

* * *

The rain stopped approximately twenty minutes later. Tae Kyung was driving the streets, in search of a wandering Go Mi Nam, which he expected. He even contacted Manager Ma to find the location of Monstar's dormitory, which took some time to find out. After finding out the address, Tae Kyung drove in the direction of the dormitory, only to find Go Mi Nam strolling down a street a couple blocks down. He pulled up beside her in silence, rolling down the window. As he looked out at her, he noticed she was soaked; frustrating him further. But he wasn't going to argue with her. Instead, he unlocked the door.

"Hey," he said, catching her attention. "Come on. Let's go home."

She looked at him with a smile, wide and cheerful, and she climbed into his car, putting on her seatbelt as he began taking off again. "Thanks, Tae Kyung."

He smiled. _No hyung-nim?_ He was pleased. Now that they were alone, she addressed him properly. He had grown a bit tired of her acting as Go Mi Nam. He missed her when she was just Go Mi Nyu. When no one wanted to know her because she was acting as a popular idol. When he could have her all to himself.

"You're smiling," she noted, tilting her head. "Why are you so happy?"

"What?" Tae Kyung scoffed. "I can't smile once in a while? I can't feel a little happiness? Do you like it better when I'm in a bad mood?"

"No, no, no––" Go Mi Nam shook her head, waving her hands dismissively. "I like it a lot when you're happy! I just thought...you would be mad at me––"

"Mad at you? Is that what you think of me?" Tae Kyung rolled his eyes, his smile fading away. "I might be a little...annoyed. But it's not at you. You haven't done anything."

"Then why are you annoyed..?" she pressed.

He stopped at the red light, sighing as he rested his head against the back of his seat. "..We have some problems, Mi Nyu. They're not your fault, but because of a nosy annoyance. So you're going to have to stay strong...got it?"

"What is it?"

The concerned expression on her features made him want to hold his tongue on the topic. But Tae Kyung knew it was unavoidable; she was going to find out one way or another. And she was also going to get hit with the publicity. Big time.

"Park Seo Yeon is trying to ruin us." Tae Kyung pulled out the magazine he bought from the store. He handed it to her and started driving again once the light turned green. "There's no hard evidence to prove her lies, but she's definitely trying her hand. She's using your behavior at He-Yi's interview to convince everyone that you have amnesia."

"I don't have amnesia.." mumbled Go Mi Nam, frowning as she examined the magazine. "Why is she lying?"

"Because she's a reporter of the media. This isn't the first time she's written about scandals to ruin us. Anjell is targeted the most because we're one of the top groups. It's a little frustrating. I will have to talk with Manager Ma, even President Ahn, so we can figure a way out of this mess." When he looked at her from the corner of his eye, he noticed her fidgeting with the magazine; looking distressed. "Don't worry about it. Tomorrow, we will relax and figure things out. Just focus on being Go Mi Nam, and everything will be okay."


	20. Go Mi Nyu

According to Manager Ma, President Ahn agreed to drop by Anjell's dormitory to discuss a solution to the current problems. Tae Kyung already assumed that Anjell––Go Mi Nam, in particular––would have to prove that Seo Yeon lied about Go Mi Nam having amnesia. But because Go Mi Nyu was _not_ her brother, there was only a slight possibility she could prove that her brother didn't have amnesia. A lot was at stake. Tae Kyung found it impossible to sleep that night. The new stress wouldn't allow him any sleep, and when he managed to sleep, he still woke up every hour. It was almost pointless to persist in sleeping. As soon as the morning came, with the sun greeting him, Tae Kyung wasted no time in getting dressed. He dressed like always in casual wear: dark jeans, a short-sleeved shirt, and to top it all off, a black-and-white scarf––all being brand name, because Tae Kyung wouldn't wear it otherwise. As he pulled on his shoes, tying them quickly, he heard loud shouts down below. He scoffed to himself, grinning only slightly.

 _Everyone is awake early._

Maybe everyone had trouble sleeping the other night; after all, _too much_ was at stake. After he finished tying his shoes, Tae Kyung got up from his bed and left his room; heading into the kitchen where the large commotion came from. At his entry, he noticed Shin Woo sitting by the table, a glass of juice sitting in front of him. Meanwhile, Jeremy chased Go Mi Nyu around the kitchen, the two shouting playfully at each other.

"Mi Nyu! Give me back my phone!" whined Jeremy, running at her.

She dodged his lunge and raced around the table, looking closely at his phone as her fingers scrolled down the screen. "I just wanna see!"

"Nooo!" Jeremy lunged at her once more, only to lose his balance as he couldn't prevent himself from slamming into her. Together, they stumbled onto the ground, with Jeremy landing atop Go Mi Nyu. The phone she clung onto flew out of her grasp, landing only a couple feet away from Tae Kyung. "Ow!"

Go Mi Nyu groaned, pushing at Jeremy. "Ow back at you.. Get up, get up! You're squishing me..!"

Shin Woo was laughing all the meanwhile. "Get off her, Jeremy. Otherwise, you will be putting her in the hospital."

Tae Kyung approached the phone lying on the floor, bending over to pick it up. He was curious as to why she had Jeremy's phone, and what she was exactly looking at. By now, Jeremy got off her and sat upright, looking around the room until he spotted Tae Kyung.

"Oh, hyung, you're awake," began Jeremy, while Go Mi Nyu also sat up; rubbing the back of her head. "Sorry if we woke you––wait, that's my phone!"

"Yeah, it is," replied Tae Kyung, staring at the paragraph of words on the screen. "Is this really worth fighting over..?"

"No, Tae Kyung!" Jeremy stumbled onto his feet, running over to him. "Don't look..!"

Too late. Tae Kyung had read a couple of sentences already, and was at a loss for words. His fingers tightened around the phone in his hand and he placed his other hand to his forehead; shaking his head in response to what he read on the phone.

"You can't be serious," mumbled Tae Kyung.

Once Jeremy reached Tae Kyung, he snatched his phone back; grasping it tightly and defensively against his chest. "It's––it's not what you think.."

"Yeah!" agreed Go Mi Nyu, having covered her face in embarrassment. "It's not.."

"It's not?" replied Tae Kyung, scoffing at the both of them. He didn't know what was more embarrassing: having read that lewd paragraph, or knowing that his bandmates also read that same paragraph, with Go Mi Nyu especially interested in reading it. "Why the hell are either of you searching _that_ up?"

"It's all Go Mi Nyu's fault!" Jeremy accused. "She wanted to read it, even after I told her no!"

"L..Lies!" Go Mi Nyu's mouth gaped open at the betrayal. She pointed at Jeremy accusingly. "He said he was reading fanfiction last night, and he found one about you!"

"But you took it from me! So it's your fault!" Jeremy shouted back.

"You let me see!"

"Only a small glimpse! Then you took my phone––"

"It doesn't matter whose fault it was. You both are crazy!" Tae Kyung interrupted. "You both read something so _lewd_.. I thought we agreed we would never––"

"Come on, hyung," whined Jeremy. "You've never been curious about our fanbase?"

Tae Kyung stared at him, firm on his answer. "No."

"But––"

" _No_ , I have never been curious. I appreciate our fans, but in some cases, their imagination goes too far," replied Tae Kyung, folding his arms across his chest. "Why are you reading that...that kind of _stuff_ about me?"

"I wasn't! It just popped up as a popular fanfiction.." mumbled Jeremy. "But Go Mi Nyu was the one interested in reading that about you!"

"H..hey now…" murmured Go Mi Nyu, hiding her face behind her hands. "I was just curious.."

"You especially, Mi Nyu," agreed Tae Kyung, gesturing at her. "I'm your boyfriend, but you insist on reading something so obscene.." He was so intent on scolding his girlfriend, that he didn't realize he addressed himself as her _boyfriend_ right in front of everyone. Go Mi Nyu's jaw dropped open once more at the statement, and her cheeks flushed a scarlet color.

"Tae.. Tae Kyung.." Go Mi Nyu began.

"Ooh, hyung, don't shame Mi Nyu too much!" objected Jeremy. "She might be your girlfriend, but she's also our friend! If she wants to read these things, let her!" Jeremy scoffed to himself, leaning closer to Mi Nyu. "Not like he'd ever let you see anything––"

Before Jeremy could say anything further, Tae Kyung had lunged at him, clasping his hand firmly over his friend's mouth. "Shut. Up."

"Jeremy!" Go Mi Nyu laid back down, covering her face completely now.

"Jeremy, it's best you stay out of the love life of others. It's really not any of our business what Mi Nyu and Tae Kyung do in the privacy of their spare time," murmured Shin Woo, taking a drink of his juice. "Maybe they've done things we aren't aware of.."

"Hey." Tae Kyung shot a glare at him. "What happened to minding your own business?"

Jeremy simply laughed into the palm of Tae Kyung's hand, causing Tae Kyung to yank his hand away and wipe it on a nearby napkin. "Hyung doesn't have the courage. He can't even kiss our poor Mi Nyu!"

"Aish!" Tae Kyung shouted, combing his fingers through his hair. "Crazy! I'm surrounded by crazy people!" He turned to look at Mi Nyu who was laying on the floor. He approached her, holding out his hand to her. "Mi Nyu, come on."

She uncovered her face slightly, noticing his hand. Then she sat up, her smaller hand taking his, and he pulled her onto her feet swiftly. "..I'm sorry, Tae Kyung."

Instead of replying, he shot Shin Woo and Jeremy both a glare and proceeded to pull her behind him as he exited the kitchen. He took her straight to his room, opening the door for her. He gestured for her to enter the room when she looked his way with a curious glance. Once she entered his room, he followed in behind her, closing the door quietly. Go Mi Nyu turned around to face him, finally giving the two a chance to look each other in the eye.

"Um, Tae Kyung," she began as he strolled past her to his bed. "What are we doing...in your room..?"

"Jeremy and Shin Woo were partially right," murmured Tae Kyung, approaching his bed in slow steps. "But that's going to change. Today."

"What...what do you mean?" she asked quietly.

"I'm going to prove I have the courage," he said, reaching under his bed.

* * *

Her heart was beating at a faster beat than usual. Maybe she was nervous, or maybe she was a little eager to find out what he meant. She watched as he knelt down to reach under his bed. But she still didn't know what he meant by proving to Shin Woo and Jeremy that he had courage.

 _The courage for what?_

Finally, after the agonizing seconds of waiting, he approached her with a bag in his hand. "Here. I'll wait outside the room. Get me when you're ready." He flashed her a brief smile before leaving the room.

She stood still for a few seconds, startled by the sudden gift. She sat down on his bed, peeking inside the bag and brushing aside the pink tissue paper to get a better look. Her eyes widened as she reached inside, pulling out a white dress. She brushed her fingers across the soft fabric. She couldn't help but look at the tag on the dress, gasping to herself at the brand.

"Whoa.. No way," she muttered. She stood up, unzipping her sweater.

* * *

Tae Kyung waited patiently outside his room, glancing at his phone to check the time every couple seconds. They weren't necessarily pressed for time, but Tae Kyung grew tired of playing silly games and living life through lies that could potentially ruin his life, among many others. Finally, the door cracked open slightly, with Mi Nyu peering out through the crack.

"Um, Tae Kyung," she began.

"Yes?" he replied, crossing his arms.

"I feel...silly," murmured Mi Nyu, frowning a tiny bit. "Maybe I should...change into something else?"

"What?" scoffed Tae Kyung, rolling his eyes. "Your brother's clothes?" There was no response from her, so Tae Kyung could only assume he was right. He sighed, half to himself. "Mi Nyu, I'm going to take you out. Today, right this very moment. But I want to take _Go Mi Nyu_ out, not Go Mi Nam. My girlfriend, which is _you_."

His words brought a smile of relief to her lips. "I..I just think I look silly."

"Only because you're used to dressing like your brother. Obviously you would feel weird. But I'm certain you look perfectly fine.." Tae Kyung smiled at her, in an attempt to convince her to leave the room.

"I guess.." Clearing her throat, Mi Nyu opened the door slowly, rubbing her bare arms when she was in full view. "What do you think..?"

 _Breathtaking._

Examining her, Tae Kyung knew without a doubt that the dress he picked for her was _perfect_. The white dress, knee-length, really outlined her body; giving her a feminine feel and look, despite her having shorter hair than most women. Along with the white gown, Tae Kyung managed to find a pair of flats that would be most comfortable for her.

"I think you look exceptional," murmured Tae Kyung, nodding his head firmly. "I figured as much. I'm not only known for my voice, but my sense of style too."

"Your fashion seems over the top," Mi Nyu replied, dropping her arms to her sides. "Do I really look okay?"

"Aish, why are you doubting me?" He took her hand into his, pulling her out of the room. "You look better than okay. You look like someone prestigious, admirable...must I go on?"

"I guess not. But why did you have me dress up?" she asked, tilting her head slightly as curiosity reflected in her dark eyes. "I thought we were just going out.."

"On a _date_ ," replied Tae Kyung. "I want to show you off to the world, as Go Mi Nyu; Go Mi Nam's sister and my partner. But at the same time, that might not be the best decision."

 _Because people will never give idols a break._

She would be the target of news and reportings. But it felt necessary. "I think, even though this is not the best decision, this has to be done."

"To protect Anjell, right?" she replied, smiling. "I understand."

"Only for a small amount of time. For an hour, we will be seen in public together," murmured Tae Kyung; intertwining their fingers. "Then our real date will start. Let's go." He led her down the stairs, so that they could say their farewells to Jeremy and Shin Woo. Tae Kyung could only hope that the publicity would help protect Go Mi Nyu.


End file.
